Veteran jurist Ram Jethmalani dies

New Delhi: Noted jurist Ram Jethmalani, who not only personified the platinum class in Indian judiciary but who also was known for representing unconventional persons and parties, breathed his last on Sunday morning, just six days short of his 96th birthday.

Hewas cremated at the Lodhi Road crematorium on Sunday in the presence of family members, law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and prominent politicians.

Jethmalani, defended the accused in the Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi assassination, as well as Harshad Mehta and Ketan Parekh in stock market scam cases. He represented Delhi University professor SAR Geelani in the Parliament attack case in 2001, Manu Sharma — son of an influential Congress leader — in the Jessica Lall murder case.

The eminent lawyer breathed his last at 7.45 am at his official residence in the national capital. He was not keeping well for a few months, his son Mahesh Jethmalani said.

His last rites were performed later on Sunday evening at the Lodhi road crematorium.

Besides Mahesh, the former Union minister is survived by his daughter based in the US. His other daughter Rani Jethm-alani died in 2011 and another son Janak had also pre-deceased him.

Jethmalani served as Union law minister and also as urban development minister during the prime ministership of Atal Behari Vajpayee against whom he later contested the 2004 Lok Sabha polls from Lucknow seat.

He also served as the Supreme Court Bar Association president in 2010.

Soon after the news of Jethmalani’s death came, tributes started pouring in with President Ram Nath Kovind, vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah condoling his demise.

“Saddened by the passing of Shri Ram Jethmalani, former Union minister and a veteran lawyer. He was known to express his views on public issues with his characteristic eloquence. The nation has lost a distinguished jurist, a person of great erudition and intellect,” the President’s Secretariat tweeted.

Mr Naidu said Jethmalani was “one of the brilliant minds of Bharat” and the nation has lost “a distinguished jurist, a great intellectual and a patriot, who was active till his last breath”.

Mr Modi, who also visited the veteran lawyer’s home to pay his last respects, said Jethmalani was “witty, courageous and never shied away from boldly expressing himself on any subject”.

“In the passing away of Shri Ram Jethmalani Ji, India has lost an exceptional lawyer and iconic public figure who made rich contributions both in the Court and Parliament,” the Prime Minister tweeted.

Attorney-general K.K. Venugopal said the country has lost its “finest lawyer” who was bold and handled the most sensational criminal cases and constitutional matters.

Solicitor-general Tushar Mehta hailed Jethmalani as a “giant of a man” who was a rare combination of constitutional expertise, razor-sharp understanding of criminal law, and a “roaring tiger” when it comes to defending his clients.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi extended her condolences on the demise of Jethmalani, to his family and friends. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hailed him as “an able administrator and a seasoned parliamentarian”.

The Congress, on its official Twitter handle, said: “We are saddened by the loss of former Union Minister and veteran lawyer Shri Ram Jethmalani. Our thoughts & prayers are with this family today.”

Congress leader and former law minister Kapil Sibal, who himself is a Supreme Court lawyer, said, “Ram Jethmalani is no more. A crusader in both law and politics, he stood steadfastly for the causes he took up. His knowledge in criminal law was matched by none. He was also a bundle of affection. The nation has lost a great son. May his soul rest in peace.”

Another senior lawyer Indira Jaisinh said, “Ram Jethmalani is no more, we belonged to the same town Shikarpur in Sind (Pakistan). We had a common dream, to see India and Pakastan friends, that was his unfinished agenda , he was there for every one who needed him including Afzal Guru. Our politics differed but we loved each other RIP.”

BJP working president J.P. Nadda called Mr Jethmalani a “legend of Bar”.

Jethmalani was elected as a member of Parliament in the sixth and seventh Lok Sabha on Janta party and BJP tickets, respectively from Mumbai in 1977 and 1980. He came back to the BJP in 2010 and was elected to the Rajya Sabha on the party’s ticket from Rajasthan.

In 2013, Jethmalani was expelled from the BJP’s primary membership for six years for “breach of discipline” and “anti-party” statements.

He later filed a suit against the BJP for expelling him and sought '50 lakh in damage. The matter was amicably settled after Mr Shah expressed “regret” over his expulsion.

Born in Shikarpur in Sindh province (now in Pakistan) in 1923, Jethmalani obtained a law degree at 17. As a lawyer, he rose to fame in 1959 when he was prosecutor in the K.M. Nanavati vs State of Maharashtra case in which a naval Commander was tried for the murder of his wife’s lover.

Jethmalani was lead petitioner in black money case during the previous UPA regime in the Supreme Court where he had argued for bringing back illegal money stashed in foreign banks.

He was L.K. Advani’s defence lawyer in the hawala case, Mr Shah’s lawyer in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case, Jayalalithaa’s defence lawyer in disproportionate assets case, Kanimozhi’s defence in 2G scam trial, Lalu Prasad Yadav’s defence in fodder scam case, B.S. Yediyurappa’s defence in mining scam case and argued for Sanjay Dutt’s bail before the Supreme Court in the Mumbai blasts case.

Jethmalani had asked 10 questions per day to Rajiv Gandhi in bofors pay off case. He also defended the Hinduja brothers in the case in which the Delhi high court had quashed all charges against them and others under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

He also represented Arvind Kejriwal in civil and criminal defamation cases filed by former finance minister Arun Jaitley against the chief minister in the Delhi high court. He also appeared for Reliance Natural Resources Ltd in the dispute over gas supplies between the Ambani brothers.