While the landlord says that the celeb fitness guru owes Rs 2.25 crore in rent, Leena Mogre rubbishes all allegations and says she will re-open shortly or refund the members
Signing up for celebrity trainer Leena Mogre’s eponymous fitness studio in Bandra West has been an exercise in futility — and anguish — for many of its members. Several of them on May 16 approached the Khar police, alleging that they were not given any prior intimation of the closure of the gym — Leena Mogre’s Fitness — for maintenance on April 7 and that they were pressed into renewing their memberships just before the shutdown.
Celebrity fitness trainer Leena Mogre. File pics
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They claimed that Mogre only put up a notice outside her gym, on the fourth floor of the five-storey Crystal Shoppers’ Paradise, saying it was being shut for air-conditioning maintenance work and that members would be informed when it re-opened.
A notice outside the gym saying it is closed for maintenance
The police’s response has singed the members further — they were reportedly told to approach the consumer court.
‘Duped’
The members’ complaint, a copy of which is with mid-day, states, “…we have been cheated and duped of our money due to the abrupt and sudden closure of the gym, wef 7th April 2016, without any prior intimation to members. We request you… to get the gym re-opened at the same premises or refund the membership fees...” It has been signed by 11 members.
Celebrity fitness trainer Leena Mogre
Jaideep Saptarshi, one of the complainants, claimed that Mogre owes him a refund of around Rs 5,000 in gym membership. “We were disappointed that the Khar police did not convert our complaint into at least a non-cognizable (NC) offence. They told us to go to the consumer court. Everybody knows that there is a consumer court, but the police are the first custodians of justice,” he said, adding that he has no personal vendetta against Mogre.
Mogre claimed that she doesn’t owe Saptarshi more than Rs 3,000. “I know there is a group of people trying to defame me. I am going to take legal action against those who are trying to do so.”
Gracie Fernandes, whose membership had lapsed just before the fitness studio closed, said the gym management had mounted pressure on her to renew her membership.
Pramod Kulchandani, another complainant, said he has seven to eight months of his annual membership of Rs 21,000 left. “The date for the gym’s re-opening keeps getting pushed back. The latest we heard was that the gym was re-opening on May 15. Leena Mogre is taking everybody for a ride.” Mogre disputes this accusation, saying she has been sending SMSes to members, assuring them that she would refund their money.
Esha Punjabi is holding on to this promise. “I joined the gym in December last year. My mother’s membership began this April and the gym closed a week after that. I’m banking on getting refunds.”
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