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Three Businessmen Committed Suicide in Kakheti in 2010

January 10, 2011
Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti

Otar Piranishvili, one of the owners of the wine company “Shumi,” Paata Papalashvili, one of the owners of the wholesale store “Delpini” and Archil Sesiashvili, the deputy director of “Kindzmarauli Marani” committed suicide. In all three cases the reason of suicide was named to be the inspection carried out by Tax Inspection.  After the Deplini owner’s suicide, it was confirmed that the Tax Inspection fined the wholesale store by 320 thousands GEL.

The information on the suicide of one of the heads of wine company Shumi was disseminated on August 27th. According to the Center’s information, the officials of Kakheti Agency of Investigation Department of Revenue Service inspected the company before the suicide.
 
Earlier the law-enforcement officials detained the director of Tsinandali wine factory Mildianebi Sandro Megutnishvili and his cousin Aleksi Megutnishvili. The official reason of the detainment was stated to be the physical assault of Kakheti Agency officials of MIA Constitutional Security Department and damaging his car.

While talking with us the employees of Tsinandali wine factory noted that he incident really occurred among Sandro Megutnishvili and the employee of Kakheti Agency of Constitutional Security Department Zurab Grdzelishvili, but that happened after the latter requested receiving grapes for vintage, but the head of the wine factory declined his request.

“Grdzelishvili came into the wine factory and told us to tell Sandro to come out. Sandro could not go out as his leg was hurting and invited him in. The security official came in. The conversation concerned the vintage. Grdzelishvili demanded receiving of grapes, no matter needed he it or not. Sandro said that a lot of wine was left, but no vessel and he could receive only 20 tons. Grdzelishvili demanded receiving 200 tons. Sandro said he could not receive it. Then they had an argument. The security official swore on Sandro. Sandro tried to hit it. Then they hit each other. Sandro’s cousin Aleks intervened in the fight. We parted them. Grdzelishvili left but soon came back with several cars. They came in and went up right to Sandro. The fight erupted again. 6-7 people beat Sandro. He was put down on the floor and they beat him in the ribs. Then both Sandro and Alex were detained. Later we found out that they were both arrested,” – stated one of the witnesses. Alex Megutnishvili was soon released. Sandro Megutnishvili spent several months under arrest.

“As I had information, before these arrests occurred, several serious wine companies refused to receive grapes, that, supervening from the last year’s experience, was logically followed by the activation of law-enforcement departments. I mean the Tsinandali incident. This was preceded by the suicide of one of the heads of the wine company Shumi. We double checked this information and it turned out that Piranishvili was summoned to interrogation in the Office of Prosecutor before the suicide. Earlier the officials of Kakheti Agency of Investigation Department of Revenue Service inspected the company Shumi. We know that neither the company Shumi was going to receive grapes,” states Lia Khuroshvili, the lawyer of Kakheti Office of Human Rights Center.

On November 14th, one of the owners of the wholesale store Delpini Paata Papalashvili hung himself. According to the officials of the wholesale store, the Revenue Service fined Paata Papalashvili by 320 000 GEL that became the reason of suicide.

“He was imposed 320 000 GEL, when the remnant of the store is 70 000 GEL. How could he pay it? Two days before the suicide he had told Kvislidze that was going to commit suicide since he could not pay such a debt,” – noted Roma Sulkhanishvili, the officials of the wholesale store Delpini.

“After 6 pm he had come in the store and hung himself. Earlier he had called a friend telling that he was feeling bad and asking for help. When he had come, Paata was already dead. He probably called in order to be found dead,” – stated Eter Jeiranashvili, the employee of the neighboring store.

One more businessmen committed suicide in the middle of December. The deputy director of Kindzmarauli Marani located in Kvareli Region 47-year-old Archil Sesiashvili hung himself in the vineyard. According to Gavazi residents, the reason of suicide was the violations discovered by the Tax Inspection, as a result of which the company was fined.

Kindzmarauli Marani director Dimitri Lebanidze categorically denies this information. According to him, the Tax Inspection had not detected any volations in the company and the fining never occurred.

According to the statement of Kvareli Municipality City Council member Valeri Varadashvili, several days before the suicide Archil Sesiashvili had visited him and asked to ascertain certain detail concerning the lands. “But, in this case, the requested money did not succeed 70-80 GEL as I remember,” – noted Varadashvili. According to him, Archil Sesiashvili was mature person and had no health problems.

Telavi Reigonal Center of Revenue service does not comment on the facts of suicides of businessmen.

Giorgi Sibashvili, Kakheti Deputy Governor: “Some other people might have committed suicide as well. Government has nothing to do in it. Unfortunately, people often commit suicides, but it does not mean that the government needs to comment on it. There might be more cases of it. People make decisions of suicide independently which is very bad.”

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