It was a day of suspicion for mediapersons after it was revealed that the rent and deposit for Team Anna’s agitation was paid for by a small-time Mumbai developer.
It was a day of suspicion for Mumbai mediapersons after it was revealed that the rent and deposit for Team Anna’s agitation was paid for by a small-time Mumbai developer.
Activists of India Against Corruption (IAC) had a tough day getting information about the developer, and clarifying that the money was taken from the said person only because it was an emergency.
According to information accessed from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the rent and deposit was paid by Himanshu Shah, an activist with IAC Mumbai since long.
Shah runs a real estate consultancy, Kashmira Constructions, from his Kandivli office. Although Mayank Gandhi of the IAC Mumbai team was sure that Shah was his ‘trusted lieutenant’, he was taken aback when a section of the media reached his office asking about the Himanshu Shah.
“We took the money from Shah as he has been with our organisation for a long time now. It was not going to be possible to get demand drafts from the Public Cause Research Foundation (PCRF), which is in Gaziabad, on Friday evening. As we were running out of time, Shah offered to help and got us two demand drafts from Cosmos Bank (Vile Parle branch). However, I am not aware of his business. We have close to 700-800 volunteers in Mumbai. I do not know what each one of them does for a living,” said Gandhi.
Surprisingly, an internet search revealed that the Kashmira Constructions office was in Versova, Andheri. However, when this correspondent visited the place, he found no office by the name.
When contacted, Shah said that he has an office in Kandivli and that he has named his firm after his wife.
“I am an honest tax-paying businessman and want to help Team Anna. I used to work in Vile Parle earlier and hence I have a bank account there. I decided to help IAC members when I realised that PCRF was not in a position to pay the amount on Friday evening,” said Shah.
“Shah’s money has been returned to him on Saturday,” said a press statement issued by the India Against Corruption.
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