Osho trustee’s unsavoury Darshan

Who is Mukesh Sarda and what exactly is his role in the Pune-based Osho International Foundation’s proposal to gift Rs8 crore worth of prime property to the obscure, New Delhi-based Darshan Trust?

In a series of exclusive reports since October 9, DNA has brought to light how Osho International Foundation’s (OIF) trustee Mukesh Sarda has filed a controversial application before the charity commissioner, Mumbai, seeking permission to “gift” “six units” (6,611 sqft) of prime property to New Delhi-based Darshan Trust. This property, Osho Sanai, is located in Little Woods Co-op Housing Society, plot number 22, Koregaon Park.

The application records Darshan Trust’s registered office address as A-34, Defence Colony, New Delhi. But a visit to A-34, Defence Colony by this reporter revealed that it is neither the property of Darshan Trust, nor does the trust have its office there. The property — a plush two-storey residential compound — belongs to the father of Darshan Trust’s lawyer and Supreme Court advocate Ramni Taneja. 

Speaking to DNA on Friday, Ramni Taneja said, “Under law you are allowed to give the address of your lawyer for any correspondence. Their office is in Pune. This is my office and residence.”

Taneja said she was not aware of DNA’s report about the controversy pertaining to the Rs8 crore “gift” her client was in the process of receiving. Instead, she offered to give the phone number of the Trust’s contact person, who turned out to be Mukesh Sarda.

When told that Sarda is a prominent trustee in OIF, Taneja explained, “He represents both Darshan Trust and OIF.” When asked how it was possible for Sarda to represent both OIF and Darshan Trust at the same time, she said, “I don’t know, you will have to ask him only.”

When asked about her status with respect to the two trusts, Taneja said, “I represent Darshan Trust and Osho International Foundation also. I take care of OIF’s Delhi region matters.”

Taneja, however, was unwilling to give Darshan’s Trust’s Pune address and said, “You will have to ask Mukesh Sarda only.”
When Sarda was asked to reveal the address of the Darshan Trust office in Pune, he said it was located “at the same place where the OIF has its office.”

When asked specifically, “And you represent both Darshan Trust and OIF?” Sarda paused and responded. “Yes I do.”

He, however, refused to elaborate on the matter and from here on said, “The matter is sub judice and I cannot tell you anything.”
Two minutes later, Sarda called up this correspondent to correct himself and said, “I am not representing Darshan Trust. The trust has its trustees who are representing it.”