Nitin Kulkarni, a close associate of Nitin Desai who was discovered deceased in his studio a few days ago, has raised fresh accusations. In a recent interview, Kulkarni alleged that Desai had been subjected to pressure by a finance company demanding loan repayment. This alleged stress became unbearable for Desai, ultimately leading to his unfortunate decision.
"I am currently working towards arranging a meeting with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Dada Pawar. The aim is to find a solution that prevents further distress and pressure from the lending company on Nitin Desai's wife, who also serves as one of the studio's directors. We want her to be relieved from the studio's liabilities," he explained to E-Times.
"Coincidentally, Desai's birthday was on August 6. His wife and daughter insisted on celebrating it before his daughter departed for the US. However, Desai informed them that he wouldn't be celebrating his birthday this year. Little did anyone imagine that refraining from birthday celebrations would result in such a tragic outcome," he added.
This revelation emerges shortly after it was made known that Nitin Desai had borrowed Rs 181 crore from a finance company. Of this amount, Rs 86 crore had reportedly already been repaid. Notably, an FIR had recently been lodged against five individuals from the finance company (Edelweiss) for their alleged involvement in abetting the art director's suicide case. The FIR copy states that Desai claimed Edelweiss extended a significant loan when his studio was flourishing. However, following the business's downfall after the Covid lockdown, the accused individuals allegedly subjected the 57-year-old Desai to harassment for loan repayment. This information comes from the police, citing the complaint lodged by his wife.
On the other hand, Edelweiss has stated in an official release that no undue pressure had been exerted on Nitin Desai regarding the loan recovery. Additionally, the company emphasized that the interest rate was not exorbitant.
For those unfamiliar with the details, Nitin Desai was discovered deceased at his N D Studio in Karjat on August 2.