Lilavathi Hospital Feud; Suicide note points at family trouble

By: Sayed Roshan, Date: 2010-07-26, Place: Mumbai

Miten Mehta, who jumped to his death last year, had said that his family and in-laws were torturing his father Lilavati Hospital CEO Vijay Mehta, who died on Saturday.

It has been a harrowing week for the family of Vijay Mehta, late CEO of the Lilavati Hospital in Bandra.

Even as the family was recovering from Friday's attack on Vijay's son Niket and Vijay's death due to cardiac arrest the day after, MiD DAY has received details of a suicide note written by his other son Miten, who had committed suicide on October 13 last year. In the three-page note (copy with MiD DAY) which was translated from French, Miten has said that he "will not forgive the Mehta and Chandaria (his in-laws) families for the torture they gave my father."

Miten (54), a Belgium-based diamond merchant, had jumped to his death from his parents' ninth floor apartment at Cuffe Parade last year.

Niket Mehta said that Miten had come to India just one week before his suicide. "Between 4 to 6 pm on October 13, Miten called our lawyer's office in Antwerp, Belgium. Both the lawyer and our father spoke to Miten and he sounded completely normal," he said.

Miten had also written that his share of their apartment in Usha Kiran Society should be transferred to his mother and subsequently donated to a charity of her choice after her death. Miten was married to Priti Chandaria and had a daughter before their divorce in early 2009. Priti now lives in Geneva and their daughter is studying in New York.

Speaking to MiD DAY on Friday, Niket had blamed his cousin Chetan for the assault on him and a senior police officer had come on record stating that there was a property dispute in the family.

Attempts to contact ACP R K Padmanabhan for details on investigations into Miten Mehta's death did not yield any results.
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News Courtesy: Mid Day

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Goons beat up Lilavati Hospital managing trustee Niket Mehta

July 26, 2010, Mumbai

Managing trustee Niket Mehta was thrashed by 16 unidentified persons on 23 July 2010 in his chamber of Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital. The accused Chetan Mehta, a cousin brother of the victim Niket Mehta, had threatened of severe consequences during the fight between the two after which Niket was assaulted by 16 people.

On Friday morning, cousin Chetan had an argument with managing trustee Niket during his visit to the hospital. Niket claims Chetan - who's also a trustee - threatened to kill Niket. "He said, if you don't leave the post, I will see to it that you are murdered," Niket said.

The Bandra police said a long-winded family feud over a property dispute was the reason behind recent attack.

The hospital CCTV footage shows the faces of the persons who assaulted Niket, and their possible liaison with the security guards. The grab show how the unidentified men entered the premises without being checked by the security guards.

At the time of attack, there are 72 security personnel stationed at Lilavati Hospital. The 16 attackers allowed to go with ease into the restricted area. In fact, some of them even escorted the goons to Niket's office. An FIR has been lodged at Bandra police station against the security personnel at the hospital.

Visiting hours are between 4 pm and 6 pm and only one card is provided for an entire family of admitted patients. The men were allowed to enter way before at 3.27 pm. This is to recall that Chetan and Niket had a meeting at 2pm, then it was postponed to 3pm after Chetan's request.

When the accused reached the third floor, one of the security guards guided them towards his cabin. When the Bandra police got a whiff of the incident, an Inspector set out for the hospital but was made to wait for over 15 minutes before the security guards allowed him to enter the premises.

Abu Salem shifted to Raigad jail

July 25, 2010, MUMBAI:
A day after he was allegedly attacked by a member of Dawood Ibrahim's gang inside the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, mafia don Abu Salem was shifted to the Taloja Central Jail in Raigad district, his lawyer said on Sunday.

"The decision came after Salem was attacked by a rival gangster in the jail. His safety was at stake and hence the decision was taken. He was shifted to the Taloja jail late last (Saturday) night," said Saba Qureshi, Salem's lawyer.

According to state home department officials, Salem was shifted to avoid any further security breaches or clashes between him and rival gangsters.

The 43-year-old was attacked during breakfast time Saturday with a sharpened spoon inside the Arthur Road Jail, allegedly by Mustafa Dosa, a member of absconding mafia don Dawood Ibrahim's gang. Salem had injuries on the face and neck.

A case has been lodged against Dosa at the NM Joshi Marg police station.

Besides his alleged role in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case, Salem is also named as an accused in the killing of music baron Gulshan Kumar in 1997.

Salem, whose name once spelt dread for Bollywood, is also considered instrumental in unsuccessful attempts on the lives of filmmakers Rajeev Rai and Rakesh Roshan a few years ago.

He, along with his girlfriend and Bollywood starlet Monica Bedi, was extradited to India in November 2005 after an assurance by the former National Democratic Alliance government that the duo would not be awarded the death penalty.

Gangster Abu Salem injured in attack by Dawood gang mambers

July 24, 2010, Mumbai
Mumbai: Extradited gangster Abu Salem was today injured in an attack allegedly by his fellow inmate, a member of the Dawood Ibrahim gang, inside the high security Arthur Road Jail here, police said.

"Salem was attacked by Mustafa Dossa with sharp object. He was injured and doctors are treating him inside the jail. A police team is at the spot," Vasant Tajane, senior inspector at NM Joshi Marg police station, said.

42-year-old Salem, a key accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts, has been lodged in the South Mumbai jail since his extradition from Portugal in 2005.

He is currently housed in barrack number 10 of the jail along with scores of other prisoners.

Salem is facing trial in nine cases, including two murders.

Wsitle Blower Case - Dy. Engineer Hemant Kumar Sawant gets bail

Court observed strong possibility of false and vague allegations

July 24, 2010: Mumbai

Deputy Engineer of PWD Hemant Kumar Sawant gets bail from Mumbai Sessions Court. Sessions Judge ML Tahilyani observed and mentioned in his judgment, “There is a strong possibility of complainant falsely implicating the applicant.”

When contacted, Mr. Sawant said, “We helped Mr. Shinde in every manner when this happened. I personally took him to hospital for medical assistance, then to DN Nagar police station. I was with him till 10 pm, till that time there was no FIR filled against any one. Then suddenly and surprisingly my name appeared in the FIR. I am surprised with Mr. Shinde’s behavior.” When asked about his bail plea, Mr. Sawant said, “If you see the bail order, you can understand that how our system works. Court clearly mentioned about vague and false nature of complaint.”

When contacted, defense lawyer Yusuf Iqbal Yusuf said, “Session court bail out Mr. Sawant for Rs. one thousand with one solvent surety in the like amount or case deposit of Rs. one thousand in lieu of surety in the event of his arrest.”

It is alleged that on 16 July 2010, a whistle-blower and retired Karkoon (Tatya) Ashok Shinde, who had exposed corruption in the Public Works Department (PWD) of the government by filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Bombay high court was allegedly assaulted by three unidentified men in Andheri. According to DN Nagar police station, Ashok Shinde (61), was roughed up by three persons just as he was about to start his bike and leave for his home in Kandivli. DN Nagar police confirmed they received Shinde’s complaint and said they were looking into the incident. “After preliminary investigation, we will decide on a further course of action,” said a police officer.

Soon after the assault, Shinde was rushed to hospital by his friends. He was discharged after first aid. After bail, he informed that he is taking legal advice. He said, “I’ve registered my complaint with the police. They are looking into the matter.” he added.

Ashok Shinde, through an RTI, had procured information about the PWD spending nearly Rs. 24 crore in the last 4 years for various repair works, including relaying of roads, painting and polishing. Through the RTI, Shinde claimed, he had exposed several irregularities in the way government money was spent.

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Certified copy of bail order is attached for your perusal.

You may contact Mr. Hemant Sawant, Dy. Engineer, PWD on: 09699225511