Family and friends of deceased businessman Bhavya Lakhani gathered on Saturday to remember the 44-year-old who was allegedly murdered by a business associate earlier this week.
Friends recalled the “sweet and polite” person who was successfully running two businesses — share trading and medicines.
A wrong deal in the pharmaceutical business allegedly resulted in his death.
The memorial service at a hall in Ballygunge saw a gathering of friends and relatives from near and far.
“We are not here to mourn the death of Bhavya Lakhani, but to cherish the memories he left as a good son, a husband, a brother, a father and a friend,” said a family
member.
The prayer service was followed by a small video clip showing Lakhani’s journey from childhood to parenthood.
As the family spoke to The Telegraph, they had just one demand. “We want justice for him. We want the man (the accused) to get the maximum punishment,” said a relative.
Lakhani’s wife Neha said her husband would have let go of his money. “I just wish he would have told my husband once that he was unable to pay… why would he kill him (Lakhani)?”
“My husband had never brought any harm to anyone in his life,” said a teary-eyed Neha.
Lakhani is survived by his elderly mother, wife and two schoolgoing sons.
His sister lives in south Kolkata.
Police have said Lakhani had given Rs 50 lakh to Anirban Gupta — the prime suspect — for a consignment of medicines. Gupta failed to deliver the medicines and did not return the money, the police said.
Gupta had allegedly called Lakhani to his house in North 24-Parganas’ Nimta on Monday on the pretext of returning the money.
Lakhani’s body was found in a chamber under a water tank on the terrace of Gupta’s house on Wednesday morning.
Gupta and one of his alleged accomplices, Suman Das, have been arrested and charged with murder. They are in police remand now.