It pays to be honest
An auto driver returns Rs 1 lakh cash a builder left behind in his vehicle; builder promises to make it possible for driver to own a flat in his new housing scheme
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Tuesday, October 19, 2010 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20Latest§id=2&contentid=2010101920101019024521945f73fe4a9)
An auto-rickshaw driver who did not let lure of the lucre get the better of him was duly rewarded for his honesty.
Auto driver Jitendra Tiwari who found cash amounting to Rs 1 lakh, three expensive mobile phones and other important documents in his auto returned it to its owner. The man turned out to be property developer Dhirubhai Mehta of Teraiya Group, who promised to make it possible for Tiwari to own a flat in his new apartment scheme in Naroda.
Tiwari, who lives in a rented house in Isanpur with his wife and two daughters studying in nursery and senior KG, left his low-paying job at Arvind Mills two years ago and started driving an auto-rickshaw to support his family.
According to Tiwari, around 10.30 am on Sunday, when he was driving his auto in Paldi, a man waved at him to stop. He was carrying a black bag and told Tiwari to drop him at Thaltej. Despite not going in that direction, Tiwari agreed to drive him to Thaltej.
On the way, the senior citizen told him to take the auto via Vasna. Near Vasna, the passenger met an acquaintance who promised to drop him in his car. He got down the auto and jokingly told Tiwari that he did not have the fare to pay him. To which, Tiwari said it was fine and he could give it some other time. The passenger, however, paid him and left for home.
Tiwari parked the vehicle outside his house. As soon as he stepped out, a mobile ring drew his attention to the passenger seat. He found the ring was coming from a bag in the back seat.
He opened the bag to find three expensive mobile phones, a wad of Rs 1,000 notes, a diary, a bearer cheque and other documents.
However, he and his family decided not to touch the money or the other articles in the bag. Later in the evening, when he answered a mobile phone in the bag, the caller told him that the bag belonged to Dhirubhai Mehta. Tiwari said he would deliver the bag with all its contents intact.
On the caller’s directions, Tiwari set off for Mehta’s office in Shilaj and returned the bag.
After checking the bag, Mehta thanked Tiwari profusely. He offered Tiwari food, which he refused and also offered him Rs 5,000 as reward, but Tiwari flatly refused, saying he was only happy to return the bag to its rightful owner.
Seeing his honesty, Mehta told Tiwari to visit his Paldi office the next morning.
Tiwari told Mirror, “I came to know that Mehta was a builder only after I reached his office at Paldi on Monday morning. Every one of his staff, including his security guard, knew that Jitubhai rickshawallah was coming. He honoured me in front of all his staff by praising me and my honesty.
“He asked me where I lived and what I did. When I told him that I lived in a rented house in Isanpur, Mehta told me that he will render all possible help for me to own a flat with my limited income at one of his upcoming housing schemes in Naroda.”
Mehta told Mirror, “It is very difficult to find such honest men in this age. I was not worried about the money and three mobile phones in the bag, besides the Rs 2.5 lakh bearer cheque. But I desperately wanted the little diary that contained important numbers of all my associates and friends.”
Nirmal Kumar, founder of G-auto with whom Tiwari is attached, said, “We are proud of him. He is an example for others.”
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Tuesday, October 19, 2010 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20Latest§id=2&contentid=2010101920101019024521945f73fe4a9)
An auto-rickshaw driver who did not let lure of the lucre get the better of him was duly rewarded for his honesty.
Auto driver Jitendra Tiwari who found cash amounting to Rs 1 lakh, three expensive mobile phones and other important documents in his auto returned it to its owner. The man turned out to be property developer Dhirubhai Mehta of Teraiya Group, who promised to make it possible for Tiwari to own a flat in his new apartment scheme in Naroda.
Tiwari, who lives in a rented house in Isanpur with his wife and two daughters studying in nursery and senior KG, left his low-paying job at Arvind Mills two years ago and started driving an auto-rickshaw to support his family.
According to Tiwari, around 10.30 am on Sunday, when he was driving his auto in Paldi, a man waved at him to stop. He was carrying a black bag and told Tiwari to drop him at Thaltej. Despite not going in that direction, Tiwari agreed to drive him to Thaltej.
On the way, the senior citizen told him to take the auto via Vasna. Near Vasna, the passenger met an acquaintance who promised to drop him in his car. He got down the auto and jokingly told Tiwari that he did not have the fare to pay him. To which, Tiwari said it was fine and he could give it some other time. The passenger, however, paid him and left for home.
Tiwari parked the vehicle outside his house. As soon as he stepped out, a mobile ring drew his attention to the passenger seat. He found the ring was coming from a bag in the back seat.
He opened the bag to find three expensive mobile phones, a wad of Rs 1,000 notes, a diary, a bearer cheque and other documents.
However, he and his family decided not to touch the money or the other articles in the bag. Later in the evening, when he answered a mobile phone in the bag, the caller told him that the bag belonged to Dhirubhai Mehta. Tiwari said he would deliver the bag with all its contents intact.
On the caller’s directions, Tiwari set off for Mehta’s office in Shilaj and returned the bag.
After checking the bag, Mehta thanked Tiwari profusely. He offered Tiwari food, which he refused and also offered him Rs 5,000 as reward, but Tiwari flatly refused, saying he was only happy to return the bag to its rightful owner.
Seeing his honesty, Mehta told Tiwari to visit his Paldi office the next morning.
Tiwari told Mirror, “I came to know that Mehta was a builder only after I reached his office at Paldi on Monday morning. Every one of his staff, including his security guard, knew that Jitubhai rickshawallah was coming. He honoured me in front of all his staff by praising me and my honesty.
“He asked me where I lived and what I did. When I told him that I lived in a rented house in Isanpur, Mehta told me that he will render all possible help for me to own a flat with my limited income at one of his upcoming housing schemes in Naroda.”
Mehta told Mirror, “It is very difficult to find such honest men in this age. I was not worried about the money and three mobile phones in the bag, besides the Rs 2.5 lakh bearer cheque. But I desperately wanted the little diary that contained important numbers of all my associates and friends.”
Nirmal Kumar, founder of G-auto with whom Tiwari is attached, said, “We are proud of him. He is an example for others.”
