Surat: The Surat sub-zonal office of the directorate of enforcement (ED) has provisionally attached seventeen immovable properties of former Daman district panchayat president Suresh Patel alias Sukha and his associates, in Daman and Valsad district of Gujarat, valued at approximately Rs 6.52 crore, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).According to the agency, the money laundering investigation was initiated based on FIRs registered by Daman police, Gujarat police and Mumbai police against Patel and his associates. The FIRs allege multiple offences including bootlegging, corruption, possession of illegal firearms, murder, extortion, forgery, passport forgery and copyright violations.ED’s probe found that Patel established a monopoly over scrap trading and transport services in Daman. The agency stated that this was achieved by eliminating rival traders and by using threats, intimidation, muscle power and fear generated by his criminal background.The agency noted that earlier action in the case included seizure and freezing of cash and bank balances amounting to Rs 2.90 crore during search proceedings. It also cited a previous provisional attachment of twenty-four immovable properties in Daman and Mumbai valued at Rs 4.42 crore, which was later confirmed by the PMLA adjudicating authority in New Delhi.With the latest attachment, the total value of movable and immovable assets seized, attached or frozen in the matter has reached Rs 13.85 crore.Patel was arrested in April 2026 in a prohibition case by Surat rural police. Patel’s brother, Ramesh alias Michael, also a liquor mobster, has been arrested multiple times by police in bootlegging cases in Gujarat and his properties were also attached by the ED in the past.
