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Ahmedabad: Tension between Dharmesh Shah and family for last 15 days

Despite knowing about businessman's Rs 20 crore debt, his family was allegedly forcing him to raise Rs 70 lakh for daughter's education

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(Clockwise from top left) Police officers with Dharmesh Shah after his arrest. Shah killed his wife, Ami Shah, and two daughters, Heli, 24, Diksha, 19, in cold blood on Tuesday morning; Relatives bring the bodies of Ami Shah, Heli and Diksha for the last rites on Tuesday; File photo of Dharmesh Shah with wife Ami Shah
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Dharmesh Shah, 49, a civil construction businessman, shot his wife Ami, 48, and their two daughters Heli, 24, and Diksha, 19, with his licensed gun in his apartment in Ratnam Flats, located in Vastrapur area on Tuesday around 7 am.

Following the incident, Shah called his engineer, identified as Nilesh Prajapati, and said that he had killed his wife and two daughters and was going to shoot himself. Prajapati connected the call to Shah's younger brother Viren who reached Shah's house immediately.

After having the phone conversation, Shah informed the Ahmedabad Police control room and confessed to the murders.

Inspector MM Jadeja of Vastrapur Police Station said, "Shah was going to surrender himself by coming to the police station, but he was asked to stay at his house. A police team reached the spot to arrest him."

During the investigation it was revealed that Shah and his family were one of the first families to start living in Ratnam tower and that they had been staying there for the past 18 years. Shah, who owned an infrastructure company named Diva Infrastructure Pvt Ltd in Prahaladnagar area, had sustained losses in his business for the past five years and had gotten into a debt of Rs 20 crore. He had informed his family about the situation.

During interrogation by the police, one of Shah's neighbours said: "Shah was a very calm person and never used to get angry. But his wife used to constantly nag her husband."

For the past two weeks, there was some tension in the family as neighbours heard shouting from their house, said a police officer.

SN Zala, ACP of A division, said, "There were neighbours who were saying nice things about Shah, but had a different view about his wife."

Shah's older daughter, identified as Heli Shah – a BTech in civil engineering – wanted to pursue a course in project management at Deakin University in Australia. She had even gotten a visa for the purpose. Shah's wife and daughter were allegedly forcing him to raise funds to the tune of Rs 70 lakh for sending her to Australia for the past two weeks, despite knowing that he was in debt of Rs 20 crore.

"Late on Monday night, Shah and his wife had a discussion about the debt and then they had a fight about sending their daughter abroad. In the morning, Shah woke up and shot his wife and two daughters," said Zala.

“When his family members were asleep, Shah first killed his wife using his pistol. He then killed both the daughters using his 12-bore gun. He fired one round at his wife and two rounds each at his daughters,” Zala added.

Shah was arrested under charges pertaining to murder and was being questioned, the police officers added.

Shah’s business had a turnover of Rs 50 crore

According to the police officers,  Dharmesh Shah owns the company Diva Infrastructure Pvt Ltd which has its office located in Prahaladnagar area. While his company used to generate a turnover of Rs 50 crore for the past five years, Shah was facing huge losses in his business and fell into debt of Rs 20 crore. Apart from 700 labourers, he had also employed around 70 people in his company, including his eldest daughter Heli. His daughter was an architect in his firm. The Rs 20 cr debt is yet to be paid.

Family was never close to their relatives

Dharmesh Shah’s relatives didn’t know anything about his family. According to one of their relatives, Shah and his family had kept a distance from all relations. They used to meet on rare occasions, at some social gatherings. The relatives had no idea about any tension in the family nor did Dharmesh, his wife or daughter ever speak with any of the relatives about the matter. Shah’s younger brother Viren Shah, who is also a businessman, lived in the same city but rarely visited the family.

— With inputs from agencies

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