New York based
businessman Harssh Madhok speaking at a
press conference in Manhattan on Sept. 6, 2018. In a strongly worded warning to
the prospective NRI investors; he told about the corrupt bureaucracy, political
and legal system in India. He further urged NRI’s take a united stand against it to change the
way India is being run with no protection for NRI investors. (Photo Credit:
Paresh Gandhi)
Why
Should NRI’s Invest in India?
New
York NRI Evicted From His own Business Without Any Due Process or Court orders, with Maharashtra Government Officials conniving
Harssh Madhok a
very well known and well established
businessman based in Manhattan for last 30 years has embarked on a new journey
to fight bureaucratic, political and legal corruption in India. His new journey
began after he made a big investments in Mumbai, Maharashtra for his first
state of the art dealership of Volkswagen under the banner of Novaa Motors Pvt. Ltd in a 70,000 SQ.
Ft. facility on a leased property from Akshar Automobiles aka Patel Bros. on
Aug. 14, 2017. His goal was for setting up 25 state of the art Volkswagen
dealerships all over India in the first phase and gradually moving to 100
dealerships. All his plans turned sour because of the alleged concealment of
important material facts by Landlord, bureaucratic and political meddling in
the very first dealership that was providing jobs to 200 local residents.
On 30th October 2017, Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC)
sealed the entire 70,000 Sq. Ft. facility for
non-payment of past Taxes and some unauthorized construction. TMC was told that this matter was between the
landlord and TMC and at the relevant time. The new owner that has invested
crores of rupees must be given time to rectify the problems while running their
day to day operations. More over this was never
disclosed by the Landlord Patel bros that there is any unauthorized
construction and they owe back taxes to TMC at the time of signing the lease.
The facility remained
closed for about 2 months because TMC refused to cooperate. Rather, it put a
condition to pay all the back taxes with interest & penalty and correct the
construction irregularities.
Volkswagen Company
app Madhok that since the sales/service
were shut down and customers faced inconvenience; let the facility be taken
over by Modi Auto Corp Pvt. Ltd aka Nihar Modi an experienced Dealer with
multiple dealership in India, including one in Mumbai. Attorneys for Madhok, Modi
& Patel bros. exchanged e-mails, draft documents and held meetings and finalized
financial numbers for the takeover by Modi with the consent of Patel bros. Patel
Bros.
assured Madhok that they will settle
the issue of all types of financial losses sustained by him due to the closure
of the facility by TMC separately. They also assured/agreed that there will be no rent
until the takeover is complete by Nihar Modi. The Security Deposit of Madhok
will be held by them and they will not go to the court to disposes/evict Madhok.
All of a sudden around mid April Patel Bros. changed
their mind when the takeover by Modi was near completion. Akshar Automobiles
Agencies Pvt. Ltd. aka Patel Bros. executed a new/separate Lease and License
Agreement with M/s Tejpal Motors Ltd. of Mr. Pawan Kumar Kamal Alsinghani on
May 3, 2018. Same day Patel bros approached Madhok to vacate the premises and
said, otherwise “there could be deadly consequences.” On June 6 , 2018 their
attorney sent a notice to vacate the premises which Madhok’s attorneys replied
on June 14, 2018 explaining their legal rights of possession of the premises as
per the lease agreement dated Aug. 14, 2017.
On June 19, 2018, Showroom and workshop locks were
broken without any due process and Court orders. On the same day Madhok lodged
a complaint with Kapurbawdi Police Station (KPS), Thane. On June 21, 2018 all
the relevant documents were submitted with KPS and an FIR was registered vide
CR No. I-177/2018 for the offence punishable U/s. 420, 448, 506, 34 of
IPC. Patel Brothers and Directors of M/s. Tejal Motors Ltd. filed Anticipatory
Bail. Upon inspection with police Madhok found Tejpal Gp’s contractor was doing
renovation work with the while some of his belongings were kept aside and large
number of articles were missing.
Initially the KPS
was sympathetic to Madhok but on July 7, 2018, his guards were picked up by
the KPS and threatened by an Officer and told not to enter the premises and let
the Tejpal group contractor to work there. According to Madhok that police stopped
taking interest in his case after a call by a bureaucrat from the chief
minister’s office.
At the press
conference, Madhok claimed that he had tried to contact the chief minister’s
office and other higher officials including PMO & 20 Central
Ministries/Departments for a quick resolution of the issue. He also said that
“I had waited for more than two months for a resolution of the issue despite
stating financial, physical and emotional losses I suffer due to the abrupt
closing of my business, but never got any response from any one. Without naming
any specific person Madhok claimed that he had received threats to his life if
he does not leave Mumbai and go back to America. He was moving in Mumbai with
private armed body guards. He was literally forced to leave Maharashtra to come
back to the U.S.
He said that visiting
Indian politicians, irrespective of their party affiliations or the state they
come from, should be confronted with the question of corruption, bribery,
political and bureaucratic interference that frustrate NRI investors like him
and generally discourage them from giving back to their motherland.
Madhok appealed to
all the NRI’s around the world to share if they have similar experience on his
website https://www.justiceformadhok.com
He further requested every one should write to the Indian Consulate or Embassy
to demand justice for him and protection for future NRI investments in India. He repeatedly called
for ending bureaucratic and political interference saying that police were not
able to help him due to “pressures from higher authorities” and urged the NRI
community to take a united stand against corruption and injustice to him.
Dave
Makkar
Social
Activist based in New Jersey, USA
973
416 1600
