According to an informed BSE source, the deal was structured by Ramesh M Damani, a BSE director on behalf of his client, who is rumoured to be a broker of the Calcutta Stock Exchange. Market sources highlighted that in the given market conditions where the trading volumes are low and concentration has been focussed on institutional business it was a wise decision to sell off the `dormant card' which has not been under operation for over one year. Mehta was one of the 71 participants whom BSE had issued the membership right in 1994 to garner a huge amount of over Rs 40 crore.

This exercise, according to insiders, was done to meet the exchange's requirements in terms of computerisation of the exchange. The membership right was sold at a price of Rs 55 lakh, explained market sources.

Mehta's husband Asit was the firstBSE broker to corporatise the trading card way back in 1996 even before the P Chidambaram offered the one time exemption to stock brokers for corporatising the membership rights.

Since Deena continues to be on the board of Asit C Mehta the corporate stock broking firm, her position as the governing board member would continue to remain untouched.

Mehta has played a vital role in the exchange's target of cleaning up the menace of bad delivery on the BSE. Most importantly she has played a silent but active role in undoing the mess at the BoI Shareholding. Moreover, Mehta along with the support of NSDL has helped streamline the activities of the clearing house of BSE.