From Versace couture to Byculla jail, a long and lonely road

A favourite story about Sheetal Mafatlal is how she would hate being called a page-three perennial. “I belong on page-one dahling,” she said at one of her many parties. This was, of course, before news of her husband’s family dispute made national headlines four years ago. And before Monday morning, when Mumbai woke up to front-page reports of her being detained at the airport for alleged duty evasion — she was arrested today for allegedly not declaring jewellery worth over Rs 50 lakh.

Later in the day, a city court remanded her to judicial custody until June 12, a ruling some legal experts felt was harsh — her lawyer Satish Maneshinde said “some disgruntled opponents of the Mafatlal family and industry” had tipped-off police and other authorities. This is not how Sheetal would have liked to make news. But none of her friends, many of Mumbai’s beautiful society ladies, said a word in her defence. Or spared a thought wondering if she was being made a victim as her lawyer alleged.

Not too long ago, these friends had enjoyed the expensive champagne and mutton raan her art-filled home on Altamount Road was known for, and had Sheetal light up their parties, swilling from crystal tulips, dressed in the latest couture, and only couture made from European designers’ ateliers.

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