As it happens with all families split over fortunes and women, the conflict over top banker and actor Bobby Deol’s father-in-law Dev Ahuja’s legacy has intensified after his death. At stake is a Rs 300-crore property with several claimants — his 35-year-old son Vikram, daughter Tania and her husband Bobby, his other daughter Munisha, his estranged wife Marlene and his mistress, 20 years his junior.
Devender Ahuja (or Dev Ahuja) and Son Vikram
Vikram had accused his 74-year-old father — who had moved out of his family home and moved in with his girlfriend in 1996 — of being biased towards his sister Tania and brother-in-law Bobby Deol. The flurry of complaints and counter-complaints over 14 long years saw father and son pitted in a no-holds barred battle. While Ahuja cut out Vikram from his home, business and life, Vikram accused Tania and Bobby of trying to influence his father into investing in Bobby’s flagging career.
The feud took an unexpected turn on Friday with Dev Ahuja’s sudden death. Vikram was told in no uncertain terms that he would not be permitted to perform the last rites of his dead father. Instead, Bobby was asked to step in and do the needful.
Bobby Deol With Wife Tanya Deol
On August 1, we brought you the story behind the very public and acrimonious fallout between Devendra Ahuja, promoter of Centurion Bank and MD of 20th Century Finance company, and his son Vikram.
A friend of Vikram, who had access to the developments, comments, “Mr Ahuja’s close friend, Ravi Kiran Agarwal (Chairman, Orbit Communications) had taken complete charge of the funeral arrangements. Tania was constantly by his side. Vikram even hugged her and the two broke down, but that did not change the decision.” “Dev was told by one of his uncles that Agarwal and Tania did not want him to perform the last rites of his father. This goes completely against the Hindu tradition,” added the friend.
A family friend claims that the news of Ahuja’s demise was conveyed to Vikram nearly 45 minutes after it happened. “Vikram was not told about his father’s cardiac arrest on August 20. And when he rushed to the hospital all formalities had been completed and the body was being taken to the morgue, where it was kept till yesterday morning for Bobby to return from his film shoot in Toronto.”
At his father’s apartment in NCPA building – where Tania’s name had recently been added to the nameplate alongside Ahuja’s – the presence of three armed guards at the door prompted Vikram to turn back. On Saturday, Vikram managed to get into his father’s house, where a relative allegedly told him that keeping him in the dark about his father’s cardiac arrest and death was allegedly his sister’s and Agarwal’s decision.
On Sunday, at the Chandanwadi crematorium, Vikram was once again greeted by armed guards and cops, prompting him to leave without paying his last respects to his father. When contacted, Vikram said, “Please leave me alone. I don’t want to talk about this.” But when we probed further, he said, “I am devastated. I was told by one of my uncles that it was on Agarwal and my sister Tania’s insistence that I was not allowed to perform my father’s last rites. We may have had professional differences, but never personal. He was my father and I loved him dearly.”
When contacted, Agarwal said, “Who am I to decide whether Vikram should be allowed to perform the last rites of my friend Dev? Dev’s will clearly reads that Vikram should not touch his body when he is no more. Vikram is responsible for his father’s death. He tortured him mentally.” Despite a text message, Tania remained unavailable for comment.
Devender Ahuja (or Dev Ahuja) and Son VikramVikram had accused his 74-year-old father — who had moved out of his family home and moved in with his girlfriend in 1996 — of being biased towards his sister Tania and brother-in-law Bobby Deol. The flurry of complaints and counter-complaints over 14 long years saw father and son pitted in a no-holds barred battle. While Ahuja cut out Vikram from his home, business and life, Vikram accused Tania and Bobby of trying to influence his father into investing in Bobby’s flagging career.
The feud took an unexpected turn on Friday with Dev Ahuja’s sudden death. Vikram was told in no uncertain terms that he would not be permitted to perform the last rites of his dead father. Instead, Bobby was asked to step in and do the needful.
Bobby Deol With Wife Tanya DeolOn August 1, we brought you the story behind the very public and acrimonious fallout between Devendra Ahuja, promoter of Centurion Bank and MD of 20th Century Finance company, and his son Vikram.
A friend of Vikram, who had access to the developments, comments, “Mr Ahuja’s close friend, Ravi Kiran Agarwal (Chairman, Orbit Communications) had taken complete charge of the funeral arrangements. Tania was constantly by his side. Vikram even hugged her and the two broke down, but that did not change the decision.” “Dev was told by one of his uncles that Agarwal and Tania did not want him to perform the last rites of his father. This goes completely against the Hindu tradition,” added the friend.
A family friend claims that the news of Ahuja’s demise was conveyed to Vikram nearly 45 minutes after it happened. “Vikram was not told about his father’s cardiac arrest on August 20. And when he rushed to the hospital all formalities had been completed and the body was being taken to the morgue, where it was kept till yesterday morning for Bobby to return from his film shoot in Toronto.”
At his father’s apartment in NCPA building – where Tania’s name had recently been added to the nameplate alongside Ahuja’s – the presence of three armed guards at the door prompted Vikram to turn back. On Saturday, Vikram managed to get into his father’s house, where a relative allegedly told him that keeping him in the dark about his father’s cardiac arrest and death was allegedly his sister’s and Agarwal’s decision.
On Sunday, at the Chandanwadi crematorium, Vikram was once again greeted by armed guards and cops, prompting him to leave without paying his last respects to his father. When contacted, Vikram said, “Please leave me alone. I don’t want to talk about this.” But when we probed further, he said, “I am devastated. I was told by one of my uncles that it was on Agarwal and my sister Tania’s insistence that I was not allowed to perform my father’s last rites. We may have had professional differences, but never personal. He was my father and I loved him dearly.”
When contacted, Agarwal said, “Who am I to decide whether Vikram should be allowed to perform the last rites of my friend Dev? Dev’s will clearly reads that Vikram should not touch his body when he is no more. Vikram is responsible for his father’s death. He tortured him mentally.” Despite a text message, Tania remained unavailable for comment.
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