Assassination or Suicide? After 29 years, plea over Indira Gandhi's death dismissed

Ahmedabad, July 1: Indira Gandhi was not assassinated, but had committed suicide, claimed a petition which was filed at Gujarat High Court in 1986.

Two years after her death, the petitioner filed the plea in the court. However, the petitioner, who has been identified as Navnitlal Shah, had never turn up to the court to press the case ever since he filed the petition.

The petition was pending before the court for last 29 years. Now, the high court finally dismissed the petition saying that Mrs Gandhi's assassination cannot be termed "suicide".

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In its ruling on Monday, June 29, 2015, Gujarat High Court said, "The prayer of the petitioner is to declare that Mrs Indira Gandhi committed suicide, which cannot be granted. The petition is accordingly dismissed."

Shah, the petitioner had urged the court to declare Indira Gandhi's assassination a "suicide".

The petitioner had claimed, "Mrs Gandhi had committed suicide through arranged murder to give power to her son Rajiv Gandhi as hereditary successor and the elections of 1984 were based on national sacrifice made by Indira Gandhi."

The Gujarat High Court dismissed the case as nobody pressed the case. Chief Justice VM Sahai dismissed the case within minutes saying, "No one has put in appearance to press this petition."

Mrs Gandhi, the first and only woman prime minister till date, wasassassinated at her residence at Safdarjung Road, New Delhi on Oct 31, 1984. She was killed by two of her bodyguards in the aftermath of Operation Blue Star.

Operation Blue Star was an Indian military operation which occurred in June 8, 1984. The operation was carried out following the order from the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in order to establish control over the Harmandir Sahib Complex in Amritsar, Punjab, and remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the complex buildings.

Following her assassination, Mrs Gandhi's son Rajiv Gandhi had become the prime minister in 1984. Massive sympathy votes had helped him to win the election in 1984 with big mandate.

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