Hotel Vaishali, Roopali ‘owner’ Jagannath Shetty booked for cheating real owner

Pune – One of the most famous restaurant Hotel Vaishali and it’s sister concern Hotel Roopali,  was actually founded by late Shridhar Babu Shetty. However Jagannath Honayya Shetty (63) has fraudulently claimed all these years that he is the owner.

Now based on complaint from Jagannath’s sister-in-law Shashikala Shriram Shetty (63), a resident of Quarter Gate, Pune city police has registered an FIR with Deccan Gymkhana police station against Jagannath,  and his relative Shashendra Sundar Shetty, manager of Roopali hotel, for allegedly taking over the business with forged documents and cheating the family members of the hotels’ founder, Shridhar Babu Shetty. Police have booked Jagannath and Shashendra under sections 406, 420, 465, 466, 472, 474, 505 (1), 34 of the IPC.

Jagannath had allegedly shown his name as J B Shetty, instead of S B Shetty, on the police license of Hotel Vaishali. S B Shetty was the founder of the hotel. On the other hand, Shashendra has shown his name on the shop Act license of Roopali Hotel. They also didn’t share profits from the hotels to widow and children of hotels founder.

According to police, Shashikala said her father Shridhar had started four hotels – Nirmal Bhavan on J M Road, Madras Cafe and Madras Health Home on F C Road, and Hotel Bhairav near the PMC building, between 1945 and 1950.

Later Madras Health Home was renamed Vaishali in 1968 and Madras Cafe was renamed Roopali in 1969.

Shridhar died in a mysterious road accident on J M Road on February 14, 1961. Shashikala’s cousin Jagannath, son of her paternal aunt, was working as  a staffer (dish washer) at the Madras Cafe (Roopali) since the age of 19 years and lived in the staff quarters of the hotel. Jagannath, who “was soft-spoken, sweet”, started looking after the hotel business. Later, 34 year old Jagannath married Shridhar’s elder daughter Shakuntala, who was 14 years old at that time. He got the names of the hotels changed with permission from his mother-in-law Appi Shetty, who was reportedly pressurised by Jagannath’s family for the marriage. Both families were relatives.

The fraud came to light few years ago when Appi asked Jagannath to furnish details of all their assets, including hotels, real estate and gold, as she wanted to prepare her will. But Jagannath allegedly started avoiding her. Later, he allegedly told Appi he would not give her any details as he had got all the property transferred in his name.

After Appi filed a police complaint against Jagannath, he allegedly promised to return the property and settle all financial issues. He also gave four cheques of Rs 50 lakh each to Appi; two were deposited in August and September 2015, but the other two bounced. Meanwhile, after Jagannath’s wife Shakuntala died in 2006, he appointed his cousin Shashendra Shetty as manager of Roopali hotel for the next five years. An agreement was signed between Shashendra and Appi Shetty in this regard, as per Jagannath’s wish. Shashendra had been working as a waiter at the hotel since 1968.

As per the agreement, Shashendra was supposed to share the profit made at Roopali hotel with Appi and her children. In 2011, the agreement was extended for five more years. However, Shashendra allegedly didn’t give Appi any details of Hotel Roopali’s financial records.

In 2016, when Appi asked Shashendra for details about Roopali’s accounts, he allegedly threatened her, saying he would not return the hotel even after the agreement period was over. It is alleged that as per the instructions of Jagannath, Shashendra had prepared fake agreement papers. Complainant Shashikala has alleged that Jagannath “conspired with Shashendra to grab the entire business of Roopali hotel”.

Meanwhile, Shashikala’s mother Appy passed away. Shashikala, along with her sisters Jaya and Vijaya Shetty, filed a complaint application with the Pune police commissioner.

The inquiry in this case was then handed over to Police Inspector Sambhaji Shirke of Khadak police station.

Shirke recorded statements of the persons concerned and based on the inquiry, the FIR was lodged against Jagannath and Shashendra.