MUMBAI: Nitin Desai, the four time National Award winner who had designed beautiful sets for films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam', 'Devdas', 'Jodha Akbar', 'Lagaan', and 'Bajirao Mastani', among others, sadly passed away tragically by suicide at Karjat in ND Studios, which is a 90 minute drive from Mumbai. As per reports, Desai hung himself. He would have turned 58 on August 9th.
Previously, the police had found a voice note by the late art director where he criticized a financial services firm whom his company owed money to. Nitin’s company ND’s Art World Pvt Ltd had taken a loan of Rs 185 Crores by the way of two loans from ECL Finance in 2016 and 2018. The problems with its repayments began in January 2020.
Now, the Raigad police has booked five officials from the Edelweiss Group for alleged abetment of Desai's suicide. An FIR was registered under Indian Penal Code sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 34 (common intention) at Khalapur police station after Nitin’s wife Neha Desai filed a complaint. The complaint alleged that her husband was subjected to continuous mental torture by the financial company due to which he committed suicide.
Also Read- RIP! Art Director Nitin Desai dies by suicide at his ND Studios
The late art director’s daughter Mansi Desai has now reacted to the debts that her father could not repay. She said, “My father had no intention to cheat anyone and he was going to make all the payments that he promised. Due to the pandemic, there was no work and the studio was closed. And due to this, he was not able to make his regular payments.”
Mansi painfully further stated, “The loan amount was Rs 181 crore, and we already made a payment of Rs 86.31 crore. We made all the payments in Feb 2020. Then they also wanted a six-month interest which my father paid by selling his office in Powai. He had no intention to fraud anyone and he was going to make all payments that he had promised.”
She added, “We would like to request the media to stop making defamatory statements against him and stop spreading false information. Please consult us before releasing any information.”
Nitin’s last words in the recording found by cops were, ‘Paule chalati Pandharichi waat" (Feet move towards Pandharpur, the pilgrimage town).
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Credit-Free Press Journal
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