28 May,2009 09:01 AM IST | | Varun Singh
That is the whopping sum due as society charges for Harshad Mehta's eight Worli apartments; no one is willing to pay up
Even in death, controversy never seems to go away when it comes to Harshad Mehta. Now it's the flats he owned in Worli's Madhuli Co-op Housing Society.
The managing committee of the society is in a fix, as they haven't been receiving the society charges which have accumulated to nearly Rs 1.8 crore over a decade from the custodian of the flats (an authority appointed by the special court) or from Mehta's family.
Fed up of waiting, the committee has now decided to approach the court. Viren Shah, treasurer of the managing committee, said, "We thought we would get the money after the auction, but nothing happened. Our case will probably be referred to the Special Court which is hearing the cases related to Mehta are on."
He said the society had received Rs 25 lakh from the custodian for repairs and maintenance. But, added Shah, the held up society charges mean, "Most of our maintenance work in the lobby, the floors and the fau00c3u00a7ade has been stalled."
If nothing works out, they may try to get the money from the person who will finally take possession of the eight interconnected flats that were auctioned in February.
'Why me?'
But Ashok Samani, the highest bidder for the flats, questioned, "Why me?" Samani, who had bid Rs. 32.6 crore in February for the nearly 12,500 sq ft area spread across two floors of the building, said, "I haven't got the possession of the flat yet. I have nothing to do with the dues. I understand that the society is facing problems because of non-payment, but I won't be able to help."
He can become the owner only if the SC clears the sale, as Mehta's widow has gone to the apex court objecting to the sale.
Ashwin Mehta, Harshad Mehta's brother, said, "We have approached the SC. In such cases in the past, the money is either paid by the buyer or generated from the attached property. We are awaiting the court's decision."
