Delhi designer, murdered by her tailor, was soft-spoken and kind, says landlady

Fashion designer Maya Lakhani and her domestic help were found murdered at her farmhouse in south Delhi’s Vasant Kunj on Thursday morning. Three people, one of them her employee, have been arrested, police said.

Mala Lakhani had moved to her Vasant Kunj Enclave house eight years ago from Green Park. The family, which owns the property in Green Park from where Lakhani ran her boutique, said they knew her for over 18 years and remember her as a soft-spoken and kind woman and a smart entrepreneur.

The residence of fashion designer Mala Lakhani who was found murdered along with her domestic help at her house. Lakhani was described as soft-spoken and kind by the family which owned the house in Green Park from where she ran her boutique. (Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

The family lives on the first floor, right above the boutique. Alka Sehgal, a school teacher, said that she had a very friendly relationship with Lakhani but regrets she doesn’t have the phone number of any of Lakhani’s family members to condole her death.

“I came back from school at 3pm and learnt about her death. She had also made dresses for us. We had known each other for 18 years. We had a friendly relationship. She always came across as a soft-spoken and a kind person,” Sehgal said.

“It is hard to imagine she was not paying her employees on time which could have led to the murder. She never even delayed paying the rent,” Alka said. Police have said that Anwar claimed he planned the murder because Lakhani had not been paying him on time the last few months.

Sehgal’s son Arjun, who runs an e-commerce website, also recalls how her domestic help Bahadur was very protective about Lakhani. “He was also very particular about her belongings and always accompanied her from her house to the boutique,” Arjun said.

Alka added that Lakhani had a sister living in Gurugram whose daughter studies in the school in which she teaches. One of her sisters lived in Dubai, Sehgal added.

Lakhani spent most of her time at her boutique — Tulsi Creations in Green Park which specialised in women’s and bridal wear.