Lilavati family feud turns violent

The dispute between family members of the late Kirtilal Manilal Mehta, founder of Bandra’s Lilavati Hospital, took a new turn on Friday with one of the hospital trustees, Niket Mehta, filing a case of rioting against another trustee and his cousin Chetan.

The dispute between family members of the late Kirtilal Manilal Mehta, founder of Bandra’s Lilavati Hospital, took a new turn on Friday with one of the hospital trustees, Niket Mehta, filing a case of rioting against another trustee and his cousin Chetan.

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The complaint came just a day after Niket disqualified his paternal uncle and Chetan’s father Prabodh Mehta as one of the trustees, saying a Belgium court had convicted him for forgery. The Bandra police said the “termination of top hospital officials” had generated “internal friction,” and they would probe and take statements of other officials before making arrests.

According to the police, at around 11.30 am on Friday, Chetan went to see Vijay Mehta, his uncle and managing director of the hospital who is admitted in the ICU on the first floor.

Vijay’s son Niket, present in the ICU at that time, did not allow Chetan to meet him and allegedly pushed him out. The police said Chetan told his cousin he would return with his guards.

“Niket said a few minutes later, 15 persons came along with Chetan and assaulted him,” said senior police inspector Prakash George of Bandra police station. The 15 unidentified persons have been booked.

Niket told HT the men also repeatedly threatened him.

Chetan Mehta was not available for comment.