The son of an atomic scientist died suddenly from

The son of an atomic scientist died suddenly from a heart condition just after he walked into a brothel, an inquest heard today.

Analyst programmer Nikhil Bhatia, 29, collapsed before he could see either of the prostitutes working at a flat in [11] Berwick Street, Soho.

The working girls told police they had not slept with Bhatia before his death and found him at the top of the stairs.

The post mortem revealed he was suffering from cardio myopathy which may cause unexpected death at any time.

Westminster Coroner Paul Knapman said there was no evidence to say the prostitutes were lying nor that Bhatia had died ‘for other reasons considering the nature of the premises.

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‘It appears that one of them had been with a gentleman on the second floor, but not the deceased, and the other just happened to notice him on the landing.

‘The best information we have, if the prostitutes are to be believed, is that he had not visited them.

‘The death might have resulted if he were to walk up the stairs.

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Police Sergeant Paul Beith said it was ‘possible’ they were lying but had no evidence to the contrary.

The man said to have been using the second floor prostitute’s services had left before police arrived, Westminster Coroner’s Court heard.

Mr Bhatia, of [14] Norton Road, Wembley, was the son of a senior scientist at the Atomic Research Centre in India.

He was born in Bombay and worked at a consultancy and software business.

Mr Bhatia arrived in England in November last year.

A customer brought police in from the street on February 1 at 8.

35pm and everybody was told to stay in the premises.

Detective Sergeant Shirley McGlone said he was found lying on his back on the first floor landing and his feet lying on the upper stairs:

‘I was originally told he had bruising to the side of his face and a faint pulse.

‘On arrival there were no suspicious circumstances and no signs of trauma found on Mr Bhatia.

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Forensic pathologist Dr Nicholas Hunt said no alcohol or drugs were found by toxicology testing.

He added: ‘The heart muscle was somewhat pale and mottled which is not a feature of a heart attack.

‘But a tissue examination found normal heart muscle had been replaced with scar tissue and fat.

‘These features were consistent with cardio-myopathy, a condition of the muscle with several causes including a viral infection, drugs or hereditary disease.

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Recording a verdict of death from natural causes, Dr Knapman said: ‘Whatever the truth of the matter, there is no question of foul play.

The man had a disease of the heart muscle and that caused his death.

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