We now feel Ojas Shah had decided to end his life

Friends and relatives of businessman Ojas Shah, who was on Wednesday found dead in his car, now feel he had already decided to end his life on that fateful night.

Shah, co-owner of a leading departmental store in South Mumbai, was found dead in his car at Worli Seaface on Tuesday night. Police recovered a suicide note, in which Shah has blamed his elder brother Ashwin and his family for his death, and a bottle with some crystal-like substance from the car. They suspect the substance to be poison.

37-year-old Shah left his house in Churchgate in his car around 9:30pm. According to a close friend, before leaving his house Shah had called all his relatives and friends inquiring about their well being.

"His wife told me that before he left he had called up all his close relatives and friends and also called for his financial papers and informed his family about assets and liabilities," said Shah's friend Manish Chedda, who added: "Now, when we look back into his actions on that night, we feel he had already decided to end his life."

Chedda who is his childhood friend, remembers Shah as a jovial man, a loving father and husband. "He carried out all his responsibilities very well and was a family man. He was studying to get a degree. It was I who suggested he become a graduate, and he had taken it seriously. Shah has been the guiding factor behind the success of his departmental store."

According to Worli police, Shah was involved in a property dispute with his elder brother for a long time. In an earlier instance, Shah was bullied by his elder brother Ashwin Shah and his family, and Shah had complained to the police.

"We have not made any arrest yet. We are waiting for the forensic report," said senior police inspector Sunil Jain of Worli station. Jain added: "In the car we found a suicide note in English naming his elder brother Ashwin, sister-in-law Deepika and their two sons, and we have registered a case against them."