Rs 1.17 crore milked out of temple trust

Member of nearly two-century-old Tulsidas Gopalji trust has filed an FIR against key trustees and the manager for misusing funds

Rs 1.17 crore milked out of temple trust

Member of nearly two-century-old Tulsidas Gopalji trust has filed an FIR against key trustees and the manager for misusing funds

A group of key trustees and the manager of the nearly 200-year-old Tulsidas Gopalji Charitable and Dhakleshwar Temple Trust (TG Trust) have been accused of milking the organisation for personal monetary gains.

Chanchal Chaudhary

They have allegedly taken time-barred (legally unenforceable) personal loans from the trust and given trust contracts to companies owned by them, thereby cheating it to the tune of nearly Rs 1.17 crore.

Bhogilal Rambhia, a businessman and member of the trust, has filed an FIR (copy with MiD DAY) with the Gamdevi police and has also complained to the charity commissioner.

The Economic Offences Wing of the Mumbai police is investigating the case and the matter is being heard in the High Court.

The FIR states that the trust's manager, Chanchal Chaudhary (45), took an education loan worth Rs 75,000 from the trust and two such loans worth Rs 40,000 and Rs 1,80,000 in the name of his son Chirag.

Chaudhary allegedly took eight personal loans to the tune of Rs 22,18,650 and another seven loans without citing a reason.u00a0

"The amounts which are given as loans are time-barred and cannot be claimed back by the trust through litigation.

Furthermore, not a single document has been given to the trust regarding the loans and the manner or time in which they will be returned.

The manager and trustees have also taken medical, personal and home loans. I am also going to file a personal writ petition in court regarding this," said Rambhia's lawyer, Archit Jaykar.

On May 30, 2009, the trust appointed a company by the name of M/s Xpress Securities Pvt Ltd to provide watchmen and guards to secure its Mahalaxmi office.

Chaudhary is the director of M/s Xpress and his wife, Rekha, the managing director. This is illegal because a trustee cannot enter into a business contract with the trust.

Chaudhary has allegedly provided only three guards for the office while salaries are being claimed for 25. "I have registered an FIR but am awaiting action.

There are 12 rooms that the trust has for physically challenged and poor men but trustees have given these rooms to BMC, police and charity officials," said Rambhia.

1822
The year in which the TG trust was established

The Other Side
"All the staff members have availed loans as per the rules. I am paying Rs 17,000 in monthly installments from my salary. The complainant Rambhia wanted to extend the trust's property. I have registered several complaints against him. Two suits are pending against him in the Bombay High Court," said Chanchal Chaudhary.