“Devil Wears ‘Khaadi’ (The Unmasking of Romesh Sharma)” continues…

One of the properties acquired with the help of the Vardaraja Mudaliar gang is located at Survey No.507, Royal Turner Lane, Juhu in Bombay. It is a huge plot of priceless land, located by the sea, near Hotel Sun and Sand. Our enquiry showed that it originally belonged to one S.J. Almedia, who had leased it to Nanubhai Zaveri in 1947-48. In 1980, Romesh Sharma, with the help of Vardaraja Mudaliar, grabbed the plot by making false and forged documents showing its sale for Rs. 21 lacs from one Leon J. Allams (nephew of S.J. Almedia), who had only inherited only 1/25th of the property. Allams, who possessed the letter of administration in respect of the property, had sold the same for Rs. 45 lacs to Tanvir Mohd.Hussain Merchant, Swat Chand
Bafna, Moti Lal Deerachand Doshi and Pukhraj Pirchand Doshi in 1989. As per another agreement of October 1993, the property stood in the physical possession of Romesh Sharma and the title vested in the names of the four persons named above. During field enquiries, I visited the plot spread over several acres overlooking the Arabian Sea. The invaluable piece of land has at least two dozen palm trees on it.and must be worth thousands of crores now.

Our field enquiries further revealed that using strong arm tactics Sharma had earlier grabbed R-371, Jai Mata Kutir, Gandhigram Kutir, Juhu; Sant Sadan Bungalow No.10, Union Bank, Pali Hills, Bandra and Flat No. 307, Sundar Mahal, Next to Ambassador Hotel, Church Gate – all prime properties in Bombay worth hundreds of crores put together.

He moved to Delhi as he soon realized that acquiring a political persona coupled with his underworld links would make him a force to reckon with. He hopped from one political party to another, aligned himself with one leader one day and another the next, eventually creating his own All India Bhartiya Congress Party (AIBCP), from whose office on Mahadev Road H. Suresh Rao had been rescued and Sharma picked up by the police on October 20, 1998.

To be continued....