War over Rohit Bal: Close friend Lalit Tehlan and designer Rohit Gandhi trade serious allegations

Top model and fashion designer Rohit Bal’s close friend of many years, Lalit Tehlan, has accused senior fashion designer Rohit Gandhi of harassment, slander and racism. Rohit Gandhi, in turn, claims that his life is under threat from Tehlan and has filed a police complaint. We dig deeper to bring you both sides.

‘They are jealous of me’

In a shocking interview with HT City, Lalit Tehlan opens up about being mocked by ‘elite’ designers, including Rohit Gandhi and says they can’t digest his closeness to Gudda, as Rohit Bal is popularly called.

“In December, I was in Goa when I got a call from Delhi Police saying that designer Rohit Gandhi had filed a complaint against me for threatening to murder him,” says Tehlan. HT City has a copy of the complaint, filed at Delhi’s Tughlaqabad police station. “I joined the investigation as I had not done anything wrong,” says Tehlan.

He puts down the reason to sheer jealousy on the part of Rohit Gandhi and a few other top fashion designers. “They could not digest how a jaat from a humble family got so much success and got so close to Gudda. They have made a WhatsApp group just to discuss and criticise me. They mock me for not being fluent in English. Haath se khana khaane pe mazaak udaate hain mera.”

His increasing closeness to Bal over the years led to this, as per Tehlan. “For the last 20 years, we have stood by each other. I once took a bullet for Gudda. I can die for Gudda. They feel insecure because of our friendship and they also can’t see me being successful,” he says, the latter being a reference to the success of the company Alexander Jeans by Rohit Bal, in which Tehlan is a partner. He claims that the brand is set to open retail stores in Paris, Milan, London and New York, and the other designers are “burning with jealousy”.

Bal’s deteriorating health in the past few years seems to have made the discord between Tehlan and Bal’s friends and family worse. The designer, who last made a public appearance in January this year at the FDCI India Men’s Weekend in Goa, has not had a full-fledged fashion show in many years. One of the most flamboyant faces in Indian fashion, 61-year-old Bal has reportedly been in and out of rehab and hospitals for alcohol abuse and consequent health problems.

“They are accusing me of not taking care of Gudda. They are dragging me through the mud by spreading evil lies, even when Gudda is by my side. I’m taking complete care of his health. It is in fact Rohit Gandhi who spoilt Gudda’s health by making him drink. I am a simple, private person. And my business is doing good. Apart from Alexander Jeans, I have also started the social media platform Patakaa.com, which has got a handsome investment. I have big dreams, and I am passionate about my work. I am proud of being a jaat, and of my desi roots. False complaints by some crazy people are not going to stop my success,” says Tehlan.

‘Lalit doesn’t care at all about Gudda’

Designer Rohit Gandhi (of Rohit Gandhi-Rahul Khanna label), who filed a threat-to-life police complaint against Lalit Tehlan, says he did so after getting murder threats over the phone from various cities in Haryana. “Lalit is an aggressive jaat. He doesn’t let anyone meet Gudda. Gudda has pancreatitis, and he has reached the severe stage of the disease, but Lalit doesn’t care,” says Gandhi, expressing anguish at Tehlan’s disregard for Bal’s deteriorating health.

Confirming that he and Bal’s other well-wisher friends informed the latter’s family, Gandhi adds, “Yes, we informed everyone that Lalit was responsible for Gudda’s health and this made Lalit angry, and he started sending me death threats from unknown numbers. That’s when I went to the cops. The calls have stopped now, so I will not pursue the complaint.”

Friends and family of Bal seem united in the view that Tehlan is responsible for Bal’s failing health at this point, even when he recovered from a massive heart attack in 2010. Another of Bal’s close friends, marketing professional Julie Deb, has also filed a complaint against Tehlan at the Malviya Nagar police station. “In November, we found out that Gudda’s health was extremely critical. We informed his family and got him admitted to Medanta Hospital. Gudda was almost dead, but Lalit didn’t care. He had taken Gudda’s Jaguar and his cook and gone to Goa, leaving him alone to die. He got angry with me and Rohit Gandhi since we helped in getting Gudda hospitalised. Lalit threatened to throw acid on me. I didn’t pursue my complaint because Gudda asked me not to, but at that point of time, I really feared for my life,” she says. Deb also alleges that for the last two years, Tehlan has alienated Gudda from his friends who care for him. “Lalit only cares about Gudda’s financial well-being. He once told me that he gave Gudda alcohol when he was recuperating in a rehab in Chhatarpur last year. Gudda’s close friends, and I can’t bear to see Lalit do this to Gudda.”

Model Nirbhay Chaudhary also filed a complaint at Preet Vihar police station against Tehlan last July. He says he got threat calls from Tehlan and his cousin Pankaj Khatri. “I decided not to pursue it because Gudda called my parents and said he would ensure that Lalit wouldn’t harm me,” says Chaudhary.

A close relative of Bal spoke to us on condition of anonymity and blamed Tehlan for Bal’s state: “Lalit has substance abuse and temper issues. He is killing Gudda slowly by plying him with alcohol, while the family wants him to be completely off alcohol because of his health condition. Lalit is living off Gudda’s money. He keeps him drunk and sells off expensive gifts sent to Gudda by his friends. When Gudda fell sick in November, Lalit left him in Moolchand Hospital because he thought Gudda would not survive. He just ran away. We took him to Medanta, where he was admitted for a month. Lalit didn’t check on Gudda even once. Lalit lies to us about Gudda’s health. Gudda will never say anything against Lalit because he gives him access to alcohol. It’s heartbreaking to watch Gudda deteriorate like this.”

Another close friend of Gudda says, on the condition of anonymity, “In the last two years, Gudda has rarely gone out. He has fought with all his close friends due to Lalit. The industry is missing a legend. Gudda is in very bad shape. He was almost dead in November. The doctors had to flush out alcohol and sleeping pills from his system when his friends took him to the hospital,” he says, while adding that Tehlan has given strict instructions to the domestic help not to let anyone visit Bal at his Defence Colony residence. “No one can enter the house. Lalit has completely destroyed Gudda and his Company. Gudda’s mind is not working because of alcohol and sleeping pills. Lalit blackmails him emotionally and humiliates him in his rage. It is so sad that Gudda’s family is also unable to save him,” he adds.

Friends deem Bal’s situation to be increasingly hopeless. “It is painful to see such a celebrated designer wither away. People want to stay away from Gudda because of Lalit Tehlan. He has ruined Gudda’s life and his work. Friends have tried their best to save him from Lalit, but they don’t see any hope now,” concludes Julie Deb.

Lalit is a part of my life: Rohit Bal

In the face of flying allegations, the person in the eye of the storm has chosen the side he believes in. “Lalit is the kindest human being in this world. He is a part of my life. These people came up with baseless allegations. It is absolute nonsense. They have nothing better to do. They are trying to portray him as a goon. Tomorrow, I can go and say anything about anyone and attempt to destroy his character. Has Lalit ever harmed them? Do they have any recordings or any sort of evidence against him? They must be put in their place. Lalit has his entire life ahead of him and what they have done to him is wrong and it must stop,” says Bal. Rubbishing allegations that Tehlan endangers his life, Bal adds that he saved his life not once but three times. “Lalit rushed me to the hospital at 4am when I had a heart attack. He saved me on two more occasions,” he says.

Who is Lalit Tehlan?

Lalit Tehlan may be known to many as designer Rohit Bal’s friend, but the 6 feet 2 inches tall, 36-year-old has had a well-known career as one of India’s top male models, having walked in prestigious fashion shows in India and abroad after being spotted by Bal at the age of 17.

Prior to modelling, he pursued boxing in school and college and is said to have won two Asian championships. At 19, he founded Force One, a firm that provided private security to celebrities at fashion shows and nightclubs. The firm lists international celebrities such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kerry Adler among its clients. Tehlan married Iranian actor Mandana Karimi (of Bigg Boss season 9 fame) in 2011, but the couple parted ways after a few years. Tehlan got back together with Rohit Bal and is currently business partners with him in the denim brand Alexander Jeans by Rohit Bal. Tehlan was felicitated for lifetime contribution to modelling by the Fashion Design Council of India last year.