My father had no reason to end life, says travel firm owner’s son

“At the age of 56, my father probably got tired. He did not seem himself since the past two-and-a-half months. But he was in the business for more than three decades and has witnessed many ups and down.

“At the age of 56, my father probably got tired. He did not seem himself since the past two-and-a-half months. But he was in the business for more than three decades and has witnessed many ups and down. There was no reason for him to take such a drastic step,” said a distraught Akash Sheth, son of Lalit Sheth, as he waited at Sion hospital for his father’s body to be released after post-mortem.

Sheth, the founder of leading travel operator, Shree Raj Travels and Tours Ltd., committed suicide on Wednesday by jumping off the Bandra-Worli sea link on Wednesday afternoon.

When questioned about the legal notice the family purportedly received a few days ago, Akash said: “The notice was regarding our office space. We don’t own the space. The case has been in court for years.”

In the suicide note that Sheth left behind in his Volkswagen Vento, he stated: “I have failed to fulfill my commitments. I am sorry. No one should be held responsible for my death.” The police said Akash found the suicide note in the backseat.

Dhananjay Kulkarni, deputy commissioner of police, (zone 5), said: “The family is in shock. It would not be right to question them now.”

An officer from Dadar police station said the family has revealed that Sheth had been tense for the past two months. The police are investigating whether there were any financial problems that drove Sheth to suicide.

The scene outside the Sheth residence at Gandhi building, located opposite the Raj Travels office at Girgaum Chowpatty, was grim on Wednesday evening.

While the Raj Travels office downed its shutters around 4pm, as soon as the news of Sheth’s suicide broke, a string of relatives were seen going to the Sheth residence.