Ram Jethmalani, an eminent Supreme Court lawyer and former union law minister, passed away at his residence on Sunday, September 8. Six days short of his 96th birthday, the former Union Law Minister’s last rites will be performed on Sunday evening at the Lodhi road crematorium.
Ram Jethmalani’s son, Mahesh Jethmalani, told the media that his father had not been keeping well for a couple of months.
Jethmalani announced his retirement in September 2017 after fighting several high-profile cases, representing many controversial clients from stockbroker Harshad Mehta to former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao, among others.
From representing one of the famous cases of KM Nanavati versus State of Maharashtra case in 1959 to the multi-crore 2G scam in 2011, from being LK Advani’s defence in the Hawala scam to fighting for Arvind Kejriwal in a defamation case filed by Arun Jaitley, Jethmalani has actively participated in many high-profile cases in the court of law and remained unpredictable in his choice of cases.
High Profile Cases Handled By Jethmalani
His representation in the Nanavati case in 1959 with YV Chandrachud who later became India’s chief justice, brought Jethmalani into the spotlight. Chandrachud and Jethmalani appeared for the prosecution in the case where a Navy Commander Kawas Nanavati had shot his wife’s lover, Prem Ahuja.
Jethmalani left India in 1970s to escape arrest during the Emergency years. In 1977 he returned and fought the general elections where he defeated law minister HR Gokhale.
From Balbir and Kehar Singh, assassins of Indira Gandhi, to underworld don Haji Mastan, stockbroker Harshad Mehta, conspirators in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and Jessica Lal’s murderer Manu Sharma, Jethmalani fought many controversial and high profile cases.
He also defended former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa in a corruption case.
Jethmalani also represented Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the civil and criminal defamation suits filed by the late Arun Jaitley in 2015 where the former Union minister had sought Rs 10 crores in damages.
“It’s a basic principal of law that everyone, no matter who, deserves a defence,” he told the media in an interview.
A Lawyer For Both Mighty And Weak
A lawyer to activists, politicians, detenues, murderers, dacoits — all without discrimination, Ram Jethmalani was also a member of the current Rajya Sabha. He is survived by his son Mahesh Jethmalani, who is also a noted lawyer, and a daughter. His other daughter, Rani Jethmalani, had passed away in 2011.
“I am now an old man living in God’s waiting lounge”. This is how veteran lawyer Ram Jethmalani would refer to himself in the court.
From declaring his house open to young lawyers who wished to learn, to seeing young people become judges and Chief Justices, Jethmalani was loved by all and remains to be a constant source of inspiration.
From being a partition refugee to becoming one of the greatest lawyers of the country, Jethmalani’s death is an irreparable loss to the nation.
Condolences also poured in on Twitter from several members of the legal and political fraternity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India has lost an “exceptional lawyer and iconic public figure”.
Speaking to News18, senior lawyer Indira Jaising said, “He was an incredible lawyer and today is not a day to talk about politics. It is a huge loss to the legal fraternity. I do not know if there will be another Ram Jethmalani.”
Also Read: After Apology, Delhi High Court Acquits Arvind Kejriwal And Others In Arun Jaitley Defamation Case
