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'I am saddened. He was a close friend,' says Mahajan

Ramananda Sengupta

Nasscom chief Dewang Mehta was found dead at in his room (no 222) at the Park Hyatt in Sydney on Thursday. He was part of a high-level Indian IT delegation, which also included Union Information Technology Minister Pramod Mahajan, to Australia.

Speaking to rediff.com from the hotel in Sydney, Mahajan said: "Frankly, around 3 hours ago, the hotel management forcefully opened his door, since he was not answering his phone since morning. He was supposed to check out this morning, and when the management found his door doubly locked, they broke it open, and found him dead."

"They immediately informed the Indian High Commissioner Mr Rathore and myself, and we all went downstairs to check. We found him dead. I don't want to discuss any further since I'm really saddened by his death," said Mahajan.

"He was such a close friend and he had come here at our invitation... Now the police are here, and they will do whatever is necessary," Mahajan added.

"We were together till 2215 hrs yesterday at the United India Association dinner. After that he want away with his cousin. The hotel staff told us that he had come in around midnight. We had asked him to come with us this morning but he had said he would like to go back to India," Mahajan said.

Mahajan said he would ideally like to ensure that the body is taken to India along with him in the flight on Friday.

"We are all very sad and upset....it's a real tragedy," added Sudhir Kumar, Indian Consul General in Sydney.

Additional inputs: PTI

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EXTERNAL LINKS:
An interview with Dewang Mehta
Dewang Mehta's Home Page

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