Film financier Lakdawala’s bungalow trespassed by nephew

Lakdawala owns several cinema halls and film studios in the city and resides at Carter Road in Bandra

MUMBAI: Feroz Yusuf Lakdawala, the owner of Empire Audio Centre Private Limited, alleged on Friday that his sister’s son trespassed into his Mahabaleshwar bungalow and assaulted its caretaker last week.

Lakdawala’s bungalow in Mahabaleshwar

Lakdawala, who owns several cinema halls and film studios in the city, resides at Carter Road in Bandra along with his wife and kids. After his father’s demise in 2021, he became estranged from the rest of his extended family, including his sister Reshma Bilal Sheikh. Following this, he became embroiled in civil disputes with his stepmother over several properties, including Meghna, a one-acre bungalow located in Mahabaleshwar.

He alleged that Sheikh’s son, Azan Anis Jethwa, trespassed on the Meghna bungalow on Wednesday. When the bungalow’s caretaker, Sher Bahadur Veer Bahadur Kikatari, stopped to ask him why he was there, Jethwa responded that the property belonged to his mother and forced his way in.

“Sher Bahadur tried to stop him, but Jethwa physically assaulted and threatened him with death. He also broke a cupboard in the bungalow and took valuables like expensive clothes, watches, speakers and left the remains scattered,” said Lakdawala in his complaint to the police on Friday. “My son Mohammed informed me that on Wednesday, Bahadur called him crying while narrating what happened.”

Based on the complaint, the Mahabaleshwar police have registered an FIR against Jethwa under sections 331 (1), (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking), 115 (2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (2) (mischief) and 351 (2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

“We are recording statements and tracing Azhan Jethwa to verify the allegation,” said a police officer from Mahabaleshwar police station. Despite several attempts, Jethwa was unavailable for a comment.