Lover's Blackmail, Daughter's Wedding: The Case Of Surat Builder's Suicide

The death of Tushar Ghelani, a prominent builder in Surat, has sent shockwaves through the city. In a breakthrough, the Umra police have arrested his partner, Poonam Bhadoria, on charges of abetting his suicide.

Ghelani shot himself with his licensed revolver on the night of January 31, 2026. He died due to his injuries during treatment on February 5. Following a formal complaint from his family, police launched an in-depth probe that uncovered a series of troubling allegations.

The builder's daughter informed police that her father had been in a relationship with Poonam Bhadoria for the past 15 years. However, the family claims this relationship eventually turned into a source of severe mental and financial pressure.

The family alleges that Poonam used duress to acquire a 50 per cent stake in the Blue Papillon Pre-Primary School, acting as a managing partner despite reportedly having no documented investment in the venture. Between 2018 and 2024, she allegedly received approximately Rs 1.37 crore in salary and benefits. Furthermore, she is accused of transferring two shops in Jolly Arcade, worth roughly Rs 1.06 crore, into her name without any verifiable banking transactions.

The situation reportedly reached a breaking point just before the wedding of Ghelani's daughter, which was scheduled for February 5. The family alleges that in a phone call on January 31, Poonam threatened to create a scene at the wedding and publicly disgrace the family. This followed a previous confrontation in July 2025, where Ghelani's daughters had visited Poonam to ask her to stop the harassment, only for her to allegedly demand a 50 per cent share of his properties.

ACP ZR Desai stated that the investigation points toward constant mental and financial coercion. "An examination of school and property documents revealed several suspicious transactions," Desai said, adding that a case of abetment to suicide was registered, leading to the arrest.

In a counter-move, nine days after Ghelani's death, Poonam Bhadoria filed her own police complaint, claiming the builder did not die by suicide but was murdered. She levelled serious allegations against Ghelani's family, which the police are now investigating alongside the original claims.

(With inputs from Amit Thakur)