White Is Black and Black Is White: L'affaire 'Silly Souls Cafe and Bar' and the Delhi High Court
Sukla Sen
At II. is yet another exhaustive and earlier one.
At III. below is the interview of Ms Zoish Irani by a food reviewer and still available on YouTube.
The Court has opted just not to look at that - for now.
Smriti Irani’s kin invested in firm whose GST ‘place of business’ is where cafe is
The property is owned by Goan locals Anthony D’Gama (who passed away in May 2021) and wife Merlyn D’Gama; the liquor licence was issued in Anthony D’Gama’s name.
- Written By Sandeep Singh , MAYURA JANWALKAR | Goa, Mumbai |
- Updated: August 3, 2022 7:52:00 am
AS the Delhi High Court affirmed Monday, Union Minister Smriti Irani’s daughter Zoish Irani neither owns the land on which Silly Souls Goa Café and Bar stands nor did she apply for a liquor licence as the Congress alleged. In fact, the property is owned by Goan locals Anthony D’Gama (who passed away in May 2021) and wife Merlyn D’Gama; the liquor licence was issued in Anthony D’Gama’s name. Their son Dean D’Gama had the licence renewed.
However, Silly Souls Goa Café and Bar has a link to Irani’s family including her daughter through a set of financial transactions, according to official records investigated by The Indian Express.
These records show that daughter Zoish Irani; son Zohr Irani; husband Zubin Irani and his daughter Shanelle Irani own two companies Ugraya Mercantile Pvt Ltd and Ugraya Agro Farms Pvt Ltd.
In 2020-21, both these firms invested in a third, Eightall Food and Beverages LLP. Eightall was incorporated in December 2020. As per GSTIN records, Eightall mentions its “principal place of business” as: H No 452, Ground Floor, Bouta Waddo, Assagao, North Goa, Goa.
This is also the address of Silly Souls Goa Café and Bar.
Smriti Irani is not a shareholder in any of these companies.
According to filings with the Registrar of Companies, on November 5, 2020, Ugraya Mercantile and Ugraya Agro resolved to invest up to 50 per cent and 25 This is also the address of Silly Souls Goa Café and Bar.
Smriti Irani is not a shareholder in any of these companies.
According to filings with the Registrar of Companies, on November 5, 2020, Ugraya Mercantile and Ugraya Agro resolved to invest up to 50 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively, of the total capital of Eightall.
As of March 31, 2021, the latest available data with RoC, Ugraya Agro and Ugraya Mercantile each had the same set of shareholders with similar holdings: Zubin Irani (67 per cent), daughters Shanelle Irani and Zoish Irani (11 per cent each) and son Zohr Irani (11 per cent).per cent, respectively, of the total capital of Eightall.
As of March 31, 2021, the latest available data with RoC, Ugraya Agro and Ugraya Mercantile each had the same set of shareholders with similar holdings: Zubin Irani (67 per cent), daughters Shanelle Irani and Zoish Irani (11 per cent each) and son Zohr Irani (11 per cent).
Documents filed by Eightall with the RoC for the year ending March 31, 2021, show that Ugraya Mercantile and Ugraya Agro did provide 50 per cent and 25 per cent to the initial capital of Eightall.
As per the latest records filed with the RoC, Eightall’s balance 25 per cent capital came from Taronish Hospitality (20 per cent) and Geeta Vajani (5 per cent). Geeta’s husband Yogesh Vajani is one of the directors in Taronish Hospitality.
Ugraya Mercantile and Ugraya Agro also gave short-term loans of Rs 20 lakh and Rs 10 lakh respectively to Eightall.
Asked about his restaurant’s address being the same as the principal place of business for Eightall, owner of the café Dean D’Gama told The Indian Express: “Please talk to my lawyer about it.”
His lawyer Benny Nazareth said: “I am representing the D’Gamas as the owners of this particular property (Silly Souls Café). They have got a valid excise license and we have been issued a show-cause notice and we have replied to it. That’s all. I have no mandate from the client to discuss anything beyond that.”Documents filed by Eightall with the RoC for the year ending March 31, 2021, show that Ugraya Mercantile and Ugraya Agro did provide 50 per cent and 25 per cent to the initial capital of Eightall.
As per the latest records filed with the RoC, Eightall’s balance 25 per cent capital came from Taronish Hospitality (20 per cent) and Geeta Vajani (5 per cent). Geeta’s husband Yogesh Vajani is one of the directors in Taronish Hospitality.
Ugraya Mercantile and Ugraya Agro also gave short-term loans of Rs 20 lakh and Rs 10 lakh respectively to Eightall.
Asked about his restaurant’s address being the same as the principal place of business for Eightall, owner of the café Dean D’Gama told The Indian Express: “Please talk to my lawyer about it.”
His lawyer Benny Nazareth said: “I am representing the D’Gamas as the owners of this particular property (Silly Souls Café). They have got a valid excise license and we have been issued a show-cause notice and we have replied to it. That’s all. I have no mandate from the client to discuss anything beyond that.”
Questions to Zubin Irani (majority shareholder in Ugraya Agro Farms and Ugraya Mercantile) on the investment and its matching address with Silly Souls Goa Café and Bar, went unanswered.
Responding to allegations by the Congress last Sunday, Zoish’s lawyer Kirat Singh Nagra had said she “has no control or oversight into the management and affairs of the eatery” – and her interaction was “limited” to an internship.
On Monday, asked about the same address and the resolution by companies in which Zoish is shareholder, he told The Indian Express: “Firstly, the issue is sub judice. Secondly, we would not like to say anything about the restaurant or anything relating to the matter, directly or indirectly.”Questions to Zubin Irani (majority shareholder in Ugraya Agro Farms and Ugraya Mercantile) on the investment and its matching address with Silly Souls Goa Café and Bar, went unanswered.
Responding to allegations by the Congress last Sunday, Zoish’s lawyer Kirat Singh Nagra had said she “has no control or oversight into the management and affairs of the eatery” – and her interaction was “limited” to an internship.
On Monday, asked about the same address and the resolution by companies in which Zoish is shareholder, he told The Indian Express: “Firstly, the issue is sub judice. Secondly, we would not like to say anything about the restaurant or anything relating to the matter, directly or indirectly.”
When asked about the relationship between Eightall and Silly Souls Goa Cafe and Bar, Yogesh Vajani, said he would “not entertain questions on this matter.”
In the year ending March 31, 2021, Eightall posted revenue from sales amounting to Rs 22.73 lakh and a loss of Rs 3.06 lakh.
While it was incorporated on December 31, 2020, the company’s financial records show it paid Rs 2,72,500 in rent from January to March 2021 and had an alcohol inventory of Rs 3,35,500.
(With inputs from Jayprakash S Naidu in Mumbai)When asked about the relationship between Eightall and Silly Souls Goa Cafe and Bar, Yogesh Vajani, said he would “not entertain questions on this matter.”
In the year ending March 31, 2021, Eightall posted revenue from sales amounting to Rs 22.73 lakh and a loss of Rs 3.06 lakh.
While it was incorporated on December 31, 2020, the company’s financial records show it paid Rs 2,72,500 in rent from January to March 2021 and had an alcohol inventory of Rs 3,35,500.
(With inputs from Jayprakash S Naidu in Mumbai)
A Curious Case Of A Goa Bar That Smriti Irani Says Her Daughter Didn’t Run.A Curious Case Of A Goa Bar That Smriti Irani Says Her Daughter Didn’t Run.
Even as Union minister Smriti Irani came out assertively on Saturday claiming that her daughter Zoish Irani has nothing to do with Silly Souls Cafe and Bar, Goa, which has been found operating on a dead man Anthony Dgama’s license; there seems to be half-truth in her assertions.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera alleged that the bar licence in the name of a dead person is just one of the illegal activities. The restaurant has two bar licences, which no restaurant in Goa has, and it has bar licences without having a legal licence to operate as a restaurant.
“Sack Smriti Irani”
“We demand from the prime minister that Smriti Irani should be immediately sacked as a minister from the Union cabinet. You owe it to this country and to the youth of this country,” said Khera and also shared a copy of the show cause notice given to the bar and alleged that the excise official who gave the notice is reportedly being transferred after pressure from authorities. Khera also said that private security has been deployed around the restaurant in Goa, to keep it away from media watch.
The Women and Child Development minister, Irani, began her active political career from Gujarat. She was elected Rajyasabha MP from Gujarat in 2011.
“Alright to run bars, not newspapers?”
The BJP has been attacking the Gandhi family for their alleged role in the National Herald case. On this, Khera said, “What problem do those running bars have with those running newspapers. We are running only a newspaper and you are running illegal bars.”
On the other hand, Irani’s lawyer Kirat Nagra said the allegations are baseless. He asserted that his client is neither an owner nor operating the restaurant called Silly Souls Goa. He also confirmed that he has also not received any show cause notice from any authority as alleged by them.
Smriti Irani considers this an attempt to “publicly mutilate” her daughter’s character. She said, “My daughter’s fault is that her mother held a press conference on the loot of ₹ 5,000 crore by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Her fault is that her mother fought against Rahul Gandhi in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls.”
Silly Soul Cafe and Bar, Goa.Irani dared Rahul Gandhi to fight from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat again in 2024, and vowed that she will make him bite the dust again. Irani had defeated the former Congress president in Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
INC member Lavanya Ballal, National President – Indian Youth Congress Srinivas BV, Congress member Gaurav Pandhi, Author and political commentator, Ajit Datta, National General Secretary, NSUI Nagesh Kariyappa, Acting President of Mahila Congress Netta D’Souza, Social Media Convenor Krishan TRS, National Secretary BJP Youth Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, columnist Ankit Jain and several others took to Twitter to share their reactions on this matter.
Video interview featuring Smriti Irani’s daughter Zoish Irani at Silly Souls Cafe and Bar, Goa.
Even as Union minister Smriti Irani came out assertively on Saturday claiming that her daughter Zoish Irani has nothing to do with Silly Souls Cafe and Bar, Goa, which has been found operating on a dead man Anthony Dgama’s license; there seems to be half-truth in her assertions.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera alleged that the bar licence in the name of a dead person is just one of the illegal activities. The restaurant has two bar licences, which no restaurant in Goa has, and it has bar licences without having a legal licence to operate as a restaurant.
“Sack Smriti Irani”
“We demand from the prime minister that Smriti Irani should be immediately sacked as a minister from the Union cabinet. You owe it to this country and to the youth of this country,” said Khera and also shared a copy of the show cause notice given to the bar and alleged that the excise official who gave the notice is reportedly being transferred after pressure from authorities. Khera also said that private security has been deployed around the restaurant in Goa, to keep it away from media watch.
The Women and Child Development minister, Irani, began her active political career from Gujarat. She was elected Rajyasabha MP from Gujarat in 2011.
“Alright to run bars, not newspapers?”
The BJP has been attacking the Gandhi family for their alleged role in the National Herald case. On this, Khera said, “What problem do those running bars have with those running newspapers. We are running only a newspaper and you are running illegal bars.”
On the other hand, Irani’s lawyer Kirat Nagra said the allegations are baseless. He asserted that his client is neither an owner nor operating the restaurant called Silly Souls Goa. He also confirmed that he has also not received any show cause notice from any authority as alleged by them.
Smriti Irani considers this an attempt to “publicly mutilate” her daughter’s character. She said, “My daughter’s fault is that her mother held a press conference on the loot of ₹ 5,000 crore by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Her fault is that her mother fought against Rahul Gandhi in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls.”
Silly Soul Cafe and Bar, Goa.Irani dared Rahul Gandhi to fight from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat again in 2024, and vowed that she will make him bite the dust again. Irani had defeated the former Congress president in Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
INC member Lavanya Ballal, National President – Indian Youth Congress Srinivas BV, Congress member Gaurav Pandhi, Author and political commentator, Ajit Datta, National General Secretary, NSUI Nagesh Kariyappa, Acting President of Mahila Congress Netta D’Souza, Social Media Convenor Krishan TRS, National Secretary BJP Youth Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, columnist Ankit Jain and several others took to Twitter to share their reactions on this matter.