Events & Personalities
Cashing in
The WAPIZ Page in The Free Press Journal of August 26, 2016 fired a fresh salvo against former Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) chairman Dinshaw Mehta in the Dady House tenancy transfer matter. BPP chairman Yazdi Desai and other trustees past and present alleged Mehta took Rs 25 lakhs in cash to sanction the transaction, a charge that Mehta denies.
The Page carries extracts from an affidavit dated July 26, made by Dady House tenant Musharraf Yusuf Kader, in which he alleges that Mehta and his son Viraf "had come to my house in the morning of November 8, 2013 to return the cash amount of Rs 25 lakhs to me.” Subsequently Kader alleges that Viraf and Hormuz met him at Starbucks on July 14, 2016 at 7 p.m. during which Viraf reportedly "asked me to prepare and sign a letter in which he wanted me to state I had paid the cash in March 2013 and received it back on November 8, 2013 both to and from Mr Mehli Colah himself and no one else. This he said would ensure that his father did not come in trouble and the suspicion would be only on Mr Mehli Colah.” A copy of the affidavit had been distributed at the press conference held by four trustees of the BPP at the Garware Club on July 29 (see "The Dady House debacle,” Parsiana August 7, 2016).
The Page carries extracts from an affidavit dated July 26, made by Dady House tenant Musharraf Yusuf Kader, in which he alleges that Mehta and his son Viraf "had come to my house in the morning of November 8, 2013 to return the cash amount of Rs 25 lakhs to me.” Subsequently Kader alleges that Viraf and Hormuz met him at Starbucks on July 14, 2016 at 7 p.m. during which Viraf reportedly "asked me to prepare and sign a letter in which he wanted me to state I had paid the cash in March 2013 and received it back on November 8, 2013 both to and from Mr Mehli Colah himself and no one else. This he said would ensure that his father did not come in trouble and the suspicion would be only on Mr Mehli Colah.” A copy of the affidavit had been distributed at the press conference held by four trustees of the BPP at the Garware Club on July 29 (see "The Dady House debacle,” Parsiana August 7, 2016).
(Clockwise from top r): Viraf and Dinshaw Mehta, Musharraf Kader; Dady House
Dinshaw dismisses the allegations as "bogus” and defends Viraf stating: "He did nothing wrong. He tried to protect his father. What is wrong with that?” He further alleges that if Kader "gave money to Mehli, Mehli must have returned it. Why would I take it… Mehli Colah is the target.” Dinshaw further states that the initial amount in the police complaint was Rs 65 lakhs of which it was alleged Dinshaw pocketed ("hu khai gayo”) 20 lakhs, and 45 lakhs was received by cheque. "Now they are talking about 45 lakhs for the transfer.” Mehta questions why the trustees now have changed the amount?
The case is pending before a Magistrate’s Court.
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