Lila Parulekar, a victim of conspiracy: Maneka Gandhi

Animal rights activist and BJP MP, Maneka Gandhi, has expressed concern over the condition of 75-year-old Lila Parulekar, the ailing daughter of the Sakal newspaper’s founder and editor, the legendary Nanasaheb Parulekar.

Gandhi has alleged that Parulekar has become the victim of a conspiracy to swindle her of her multi-crore assets. Many of Parulekar’s close associates and well-known citizens of Pune such as Dr Kunda Patki, Chandrashekhar Hari Joshi and Manoj Oswal share this concern and have spoken on record with DNA.

Parulekar’s lawyer, Sunil Kadam, refused to meet DNA when contacted for an appointment on Thursday last.

A spinster and the sole child of Nanasaheb, Parulekar, who is suffering from secondary Parkinson’s disease among other ailments, has vast assets in her name.

Joshi and Oswal told DNA that apart from 12.2% shares in Sakal Papers Pvt Ltd, the firm founded by her parents, Parulekar owns a bungalow on 3.3 acres of ultra-prime land at 4A Queen’s Garden, Pune, six acres of land in Mahabaleshwar, a one-acre plot on Baner Road, a property in France (her late mother, Shanta was French) and Rs3 crore in the bank.

Parulekar’s long-time friend, Dr Patki, 72, widow of the popular surgeon, late Dr Subhash Patki, told DNA that Parulekar’s will has also become a matter of much controversy.

In a telephonic interview with DNA on Friday, Gandhi said, “There are people out to grab her (Parulekar’s) money, land, bungalow and shares in the Sakal newspaper. Lila’s life is in danger. I would like the courts to step in and provide her protection.”

Earlier, in a letter dated May 24, 2010 to her Pune associate, Manoj Oswal, head of Pune unit of ‘People for Animals’, Gandhi had written: “It seems to me that the people who are involved in the matter simply want Lila to die as soon as possible so that they can grab her land and assets…”

Recently, Parulekar created a sensation when in an exclusive interview to DNA at her residence (See ‘Mystery deepens over ‘notice’ by ailing Parulekar’, DNA, February 9) she denied she had issued a public notice that appeared in her name.

The notice titled “Lilatai Parulekar’s clarification”, which appeared prominently in the Sakal newspaper on February 2, accused Joshi of showing questionable interests in her affairs. Joshi is a former director of Sakal newspaper and the sole trustee of the Lila Trust, established to manage her personal assets.    

Dr Patki expressed concern over the controversy surrounding Parulekar’s will. She told DNA on Thursday that Parulekar’s lawyer, Sunil Kadam had persuaded her to get Parulekar to give her thumb impression on a hastily drafted will, when she was in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Jehangir Hospital on May 1, 2010.

Patki said she persuaded Parulekar to sign the will in view of her deteriorating health. However, when she suspected foul play in the vital document, she asked Kadam to show the will to noted criminal lawyer, Viraj Kakade.

When contacted, Kakade told DNA on Friday: “The will was skewed in favour of Kadam. It made Kadam the sole executor of the will and gave him control over all of Parulekar’s properties, shares and bank accounts. I therefore suggested that there should be a team of executors and even drafted a revised will, which I gave to Dr Patki.”

Dr Patki alleged that she was prevented from getting Parulekar’s signature on the revised will by Kadam and Parulekar’s servants.
When contacted telephonically for an appointment on Thursday afternoon, Kadam refused to meet DNA and said that he would call back.

Oswal told DNA that he had made several attempts to make Parulekar’s life comfortable in the last six months. He claimed to have refurbished her room, got a doctor to examine her, appointed a veterinary doctor and a team of volunteers to look after the estimated 200 dogs and assorted cattle in Parulekar’s compound.

However, Oswal complained of harassment by those around Parulekar. He said he was arrested by the Bund Garden police on the night of November 6, 2010 on charges of trespassing and detained at the police station overnight.