It's Tuesday, 20 May 2025. The Shah family is gathered at the ancestral haveli in Nanpura, Surat, for the signing of the inheritance deed — a legal transfer of ₹340 crore in diamond trading assets scheduled for 10 AM the next morning. By midnight, Kailash Shah, 71, patriarch and head of Shah Diamond Trading, is found dead near the family safe by his youngest daughter-in-law.
The silver candlestick from the prayer room is missing. The safe is open but nothing appears taken. The inheritance document on Kailash's desk has been partially torn — specifically, the clause naming one beneficiary has been destroyed.
| Victim | Kailash Shah, Male, 71 — Head of Shah Diamond Trading |
|---|---|
| Scene | Private study, Shah Family Haveli, Nanpura, Surat |
| Found | 12:02 AM by Rinku Shah (youngest daughter-in-law) |
| Cause | Blunt force trauma — occipital region; consistent with silver candlestick |
| TOD | 23:00 – 23:45 |
| Context | Inheritance signing scheduled for next morning — ₹340 crore in assets |
| # | Name | Role | Stakes in Inheritance |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | Prakash Shah, 48, M | Elder son | Will receives 55% — but the torn clause would have given his brother 30% instead of 15% |
| S2 | Dilip Shah, 44, M | Younger son | Was being elevated from 15% to 30% in the new will — stood to gain more from Kailash staying alive |
| S3 | Meena Shah, 45, F | Prakash's wife | Her children's inheritance directly tied to Prakash's 55% share |
| S4 | Girish Mehta, 52, M | Family Accountant | Kailash had discovered Girish embezzled ₹3.8 crore from the trading company over 5 years |
| S5 | Savitri Shah, 68, F | Kailash's wife | Was to receive the haveli (₹8 crore) but no operational role; content with outcome |