Watching in TV the first Murder Case I followed in teens

After lunch both of us sat down to watch the last twenty minutes of Mammootty’s movie, Turbo. Yes, more often we are forced to watch in instalments thanks to the post-lunch chloroform that begins taking effect. The movie over in a jiffy. It was too early for a nap. 

I browsed through the various platforms. I stumbled upon the Hindi movie, Rustom. I thought it was a remake of the film I had seen featuring Dara Singh, based on Sohrab and Rustam - the story of Sohrab, the Tartar hero, who fights Rustum, the Persian chieftain, in single combat, not knowing that he is truly his father. When Sohrab receives the fatal blow, he tells the opponent not to be overjoyed; one day his father Rustam would take revenge on him. A touching story.

So, with all keenness I switched on to re-live the story. In the next three minutes, alas, I realized the movie was based on the Nanavati Murder case, featuring Akshay Kumar. No problem. Equally welcome. 

For the uninitiated, the Nanavati Murder case happened in 1959. Nanavati, a naval officer, and Prem Ahuja, a businessman, were friends. Nanavati was at sea on duty for months on. Prem Ahuja and N’s wife developed illicit relations. N came to know of it and shot Ahuja dead at point blank range. 

This was the first case that I followed in life as it unfolded. I was just 19. My uncle had just brought me to Delhi to look for a job. He subscribed to the tabloid, Blitz by B.K. Karanjia, and the political magazine, Mother India, by Baburao Patil. The two were at daggers drawn when it came to taking stands in this case - Blitz for a lenient view to Nanavati, and Mother India for sterner punishment.

Both my uncles – the elder and the younger ones – would argue the case vigorously for and against, while I watched them with open-mouthed awe.  I thought it was time I gave my input as well and began following the case in both these tabloids as well as in Hindustan Times. Consequently, I was able to offer my two cents to the discussions. 

Though just taken up a job and leading a frugal life, occasionally I allowed myself to buy the Evening News as I boarded the bus from office, as and when I could not resist the newspaper boy’s tempting announcements of the contents.

It was nice re-living that episode, though in the movie there was a liberal sprinkle of sub plots to accentuate cinematic effects. I was able to relate most of the moves by the media to influence the jury, and many other instances. The jury found him Not Guilty with Eight in favour and One against. The case went to a higher court where it found him guilty and ordered imprisonment. As per reports it was nearly after this case that the jury system was discontinued.

On a fact check, I understand that Nanavati was at one time close to V K Krishna Menon when he was the High Commissioner in London, and Krishna Menon to Nehru. Public support for Nanavati mounted and Prem Ahuja’s sister herself wrote a letter to accord pardon to Nanavati. These aided Vijayalakshmi Pandit, then Governor of Maharashtra, to grant him pardon - three years later. Upon release, the family – Nanavati, his wife and three children – moved to Canada where N died in 2003 and, later Mrs N moved to a home for assisted living. 

It was altogether an engaging three hours for me, but much to the annoyance of the lady of the house who felt she could not watch it undisturbed what with my knowledge-sharing interventions. Nonetheless, “I say, you look for such movies that you can relate and share some side stories as well,” she said by way of yet another rare compliment.