Cong corporator8217;s husband kills self

MUMBAI, July 29: Ramesh Shanti Chheda, the husband of Congress corporator, Rajul Chheda, shot himself with his licensed revolver at their...

MUMBAI, July 29: Ramesh Shanti Chheda, the husband of Congress corporator, Rajul Chheda, shot himself with his licensed revolver at their Laxmi Nivas residence in Matunga this afternoon.

Police said Chheda 45 fired one shot on his right temple at around 1.45 pm with his 9 mm pistol. The bedroom of 5th-floor flat was splashed with blood as the bullet pierced the temple and came out from the left side. There was blood all over the bed, pillows and the walls. Rajul Chheda was at home with a servant when the incident took place. Relatives, however, said she could not speak to presspersons. 8220;She8217;s in a shock. She8217;s not speaking,8221; said an old man.

People close to family said Chheda and his wife had been to Navi Mumbai in the morning to check out a house. They returned early in the afternoon and nobody knows what happened after that. Police too have not been able to speak to the deceased8217;s wife.

Incidentally, Laxmi Nivas is the same building in which late Ramesh Kini, who was found dead in a Pune theatreunder mysterious circumstances, resided. Some top Shiv Sena leaders, including Sena chief Bal Thackeray8217;s nephew, Raj Thackeray were accused in connection with his death. And that8217;s not the only parallel. Just like Kinis, Chhedas too were offered alternate accommodation by the landlord. However, it could not be confirmed if it was the same house which the couple visited in Navi Mumbai this morning.

Chheda8217;s lawyer, Jawahar Thakkar, said the deceased was the chief-promoter of a 70 per cent tenant-ownership scheme that was being implemented in Laxmi Nivas. The scheme had received all initial clearances from MHADA, but had got stuck when the housing department asked for the submission of succession certificates. 8220;A petition filed against this order was likely to come up for admission next week,8221; said Thakkar. He added that he met Chheda only two weeks ago when he had filed the petition. 8220;He seemed very enthusiastic about the case.8221;

Chheda dealt in edible oils and ran a partnership firm at Sewri in thename of Rameshchandra and Company. Neighbours said he conducted his business almost entirely from his house over the phone.

The deceased had obtained a licensed pistol some 20 years ago following the murder of one of his employees at Masjid Bunder. The Chhedas have a son Rahul who is currently in Australia pursuing an MBA degree and a daughter Mohini who got married two months ago and is now staying at Thane.