Towards the end of last week, a Chargesheet was filed against the ex-Chairman of the BPP – Dinshaw Mehta, based on the FIR filed against him in February, 2014.
Parsi Times (PT) received this news, and upon verification, found it to be factually correct.
Even as PT decided to report this in last Saturday’s edition, I called Viraf Mehta who didn’t answer the phone, and thereafter I put a message on our BPP Trustees Whatsapp group, knowing that Viraf would attribute personal motive to me. The message read as follows:
“Informed that in the Dady House FIR the charge sheet was filed yesterday
Viraf….
Called you a while ago
This message just to record that Parsi Times will be carrying the news
Nothing personal about this”
Trustee Viraf Mehta responded with:
“Kersi sorry missed your call. Was busy.
I have always tried not to make things personal with you.
But I guess you don’t see it that way.
Eager to see how unprofessionally your Parsi Times reports this.”
The report carried by PT was factual and non-biased – it was without any embellishment or personal allegations. Reading the coverage on Saturday, I was proud how PT had presented the report.
In fact, PT’s report concluded with the lines: “We are quite certain that there will be various twisted explanations, manipulated facts that will start doing the rounds through newsletters, Whatsapp messages and social media posts. In fact, it would be surprising if PT were not attacked for breaking this news before the community. We would like to remind those who wish to attack us that that would be akin to shooting the messenger. PT is simply doing its job as a publication committed to the truth.”
Despite this, Dinshaw Mehta launched a personal attack against me, in his usual style – with blatant lies and his typical false and baseless allegations. Even as I expected such a response, I was disappointed about the way the Mehtas have gone about this. I had been reasonably confident, in keeping with ample years of experience, that this is what they would resort to doing.
The Chargesheet has been filed about the alleged cash transaction which happened before I became a Trustee! Dinshaw Mehta’s pathetic effort to involve me would make no sense to anybody, except to Dinshaw Mehta himself.
As we all know know, Dinshaw Mehta brings out the pamphlet – ‘Parsi Junction’, in the name of one Kersi Sethna, who is indebted to him for allowing him to stay in a flat that belongs to Pansy Mehta (Dinshaw Mehta’s wife) in Cama Park, Andheri. Not surprisingly, Dinshaw Mehta unfortunately lacks the guts or the moral courage to add his name at the end of whatever is written and prefers to shoot from the shoulders of ghost editors… initially (late) Parvez Driver and now, Kersi Sethna. However, no one doubts, and it would be quite simple to prove, that it is Dinshaw Mehta who brings out Parsi Junction.
Despite his Chargesheet being currently sub judice (under judicial consideration and therefore prohibited from public discussion elsewhere), Dinshaw Mehta continues writing about it publicly. I’ve been legally advised that this could probably expose Dinshaw Mehta to legal scrutiny – which I dare say, someone may be contemplating.
After the passing of BPP Trustee Zarir Bhathena and the ongoing illness of BPP Chairman Yazdi Desai, matters in the BPP have only been going downhill. An absurd amount of importance is being given to this so-called ‘majority’ and I’m rather saddened and disappointed to inform the community that BPP Trustee Armaity Tirandaz has embraced the illegitimate title of ‘Acting Chairperson’, and taken on powers that she legally does not have – thus dancing to the tunes of others – all of which I fully intend to back up with facts, figures and email correspondence, if and when required to do so. But I genuinely hope it does not have to come down to this, in the interest of the Trust and to maintain some amount of dignity.
Trustee Xerxes Dastur also refuses to think independently, and in most discussions, one can do nothing but wait for the two of them (Tirandaz and Dastur) to simply nod their heads in unison, to whatever Viraf Mehta says! This assumes a dangerously gigantic proportion when done against the interests of the Trust, not to mention, the gross disregard to our fiduciary and legal duties as Trustees!
Over the last four years, whenever I’ve addressed our community, it has mainly been to share positive news. However, I’m afraid, that in the near and immediate future, if and when I do address our community through Parsi Times, it would be to update you, in the spirit of transparency, to the dangers of certain acts which are against the Trust and the Community, mainly because the three of them have formed a majority (Tirandaz, Dastur and Mehta) in the current 5-member Board.
Dinshaw Mehta’s absurd allegations – both in Parsi Junction and on WhatsApp – are so pathetic and ridiculous, that dignifying them with a response, is an insult to my intelligence and integrity. However, one is told, that however absurd the allegations are, it is always good to deny them for the record, which I choose to do through this note…
As an industrialist, I run multiple businesses, providing employment to over a thousand people. As in most businesses, our companies are also involved in legal cases in various fora. Ridiculous as it is, Dinshaw Mehta tries to say that this proves that my companies have ‘financial issues’! I am told that Mr. Mehta and his family have not been involved in any legitimate business activities over the years, so unfortunately, they wouldn’t be able to understand how legitimate businesses work.
To then go further and try drawing parallels between stealing money from a trust and cheating, for which Mr. Mehta has been Chargesheeted under section 406 (Breach of Trust) and 420 (Cheating)… and operational issues of the corporate world, makes only for ridiculing the mind of the person who thinks along such lines!
Throwing Stones To Hide Your Hands!
Dinshaw Mehta has repeatedly referred to two Chargesheets filed against me in the same court – in his own ghost-written, edited, published and unregistered pamphlet – Parsi Junction, and through Whatsapp messages. However, what Dinshaw Mehta cleverly does not share with the community, is that of the two FIRs filed against me – one is filed by his son – Hormuz Mehta; and the other, by his sister – Anahita Mehta. In truth, these were counter-FIRs filed by the Mehta family.
As regards the FIR filed by Hormuz Mehta, the fact remains that it is I who was attacked by Dinshaw Mehta and his son, Hormuz! Community members will recall the photo which appeared on the front page of a mainline newspaper, where I was assaulted, and my damaged eye, which took almost a year to recover – caused by Dinshaw Mehta attacking me from behind with a stone. (Details can be found at PT Link: https://parsi-times.com/2016/09/shameful-court-drama-new-low-community/). The FIR filed against Dinshaw Mehta, carries a charge of grievous bodily injury to me.
And as for the second FIR filed by Dinshaw Mehta’s sister, Mrs. Anahita Mehta – wife of Izhaar Ahmed Khan, you will find it interesting to note that manner and agenda, with which the complaint was filed…
On 8th September, 2016, a young, brave community member – Rukhshana Farhad Delkhah – filed a case against Dinshaw Mehta (Under Section 509, which protects the modesty of women – for being targeted by Dinshaw Mehta’s lewd comments through the court proceedings).
Dinshaw Mehta was unaware of this complaint and got to know of this only three days later. And when he did, on that same evening, Dinshaw Mehta’s sister, Anahita, went and filed an identical complaint against me on the very same charges that Delkhah had charged her brother with!!
Three days after the alleged incident!!! I’m sure community members will be able to connect the dots and realize, based on this 3-day-gap between the date of the alleged incident and the date of the complaint. Surely this gap reveals a story in itself!
Since these cases are both sub judice, I am legally advised to refrain from discussing details, and unlike Dinshaw Mehta, I will respect the word of law.
For a long time now, I have held my peace – a fact which has been appreciated by friends and well-wishers, who resonate with my sense of maintaining dignity in silence. Even so, I now find myself at a place in time, where, if I were to remain silent, I would be guilty of complicity! As the famous saying goes, ‘Silence is the universal crime of decent people’. But more so, being silent in the face of injustice amounts to cowardice and it is one of the greatest crimes one could be guilty of.
In the same vein, I believe that if I have to stay true to my duty as a Trustee, whose primary responsibility is also to protect the Trust, its beneficiaries and the community, not only will I have to fight the transgressors in the Boardroom, but I may have to go beyond and take legal steps to protect the Trust to which I was elected and am duty bound and entrusted to do.
In the interest of the Trust and the community, I intend to keep our community members informed and updated regularly, about the reality of issues that are currently taking place. I sincerely believe that if I do not, my silence would have done more harm to the community than my speaking up and sharing the facts as they unfold, with you – our community members – who have every right to know the truth.
- Dhunji Will Be Missed - 11 September2022
- Founders Note - 13 August2022
- FOUNDER’S NOTE - 19 March2022
