11 May,2011 06:27 AM IST | | Sheetal Sukhija
Victim had been working for the builder for over a decade; when he asked to be relieved of his duties, he was allegedly beaten up by his employer's men
India's most controversial murder case has returned to haunt those even remotely connected to the property, over which a cold-blooded murder was committed.
Nagaraj Rao, longtime employee of N H Rustomjee. His mother (in blue sari) outside St Philomena's Hospital where he is battling for life
It may be recollected that in 1991, Shakereh Khaleeli was brutally murdered by her second husband and self-proclaimed godman Shraddhananda Swami.
Finally, after 11 long years, Shakereh's family got justice as Shraddhananda was the awarded the death sentence in 2005.
Latest victim
Now, Nagaraj Rao alias Appu (34), one-time aide of the murderous godman and longtime employee of N H Rustomjee, is the latest victim of the property issue.
Rao, who Rustomjee had slapped a trespass case against, is in a coma battling for life at the St Philomena's Hospital after being allegedly assaulted by three of his employer's men on Saturday night.
Manjula Bai, Rao's mother, who witnessed the incident, mentioned that the men were 'Rustomjee's goons'. She has lodged an FIR against Rustomjee and three of his men for 'attempt to murder' at the Ashok Nagar Police Station.
Prime accused Rustomjee is missing, while other accused Suresh, Vinod and Mani have been held.
Assaulted
Manjula said, "It started on Saturday at 11 pm when Rustomjee's driver cum bodyguard Suresh and his friends Vinod, Mani and two others came to our house and started consuming alcohol.
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When I went to call Appu for dinner at 12 am, he sent me back. At 12.30 am, I saw these men beating up my son.
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He was bleeding and could not breathe. Helped by my son's friends, we rushed him to the nearest hospital."
While Suresh claimed that Rao was drunk and lost balance and fell down, the neurosurgeon treating him in the Neuro ICU said that his injuries could not have been so extensive if that was the case.
"The doctors told us that the MRI scan reports from NIMHANS clearly state that his injuries were caused by constant beating on the head with a heavy object.
We suspect foul play, because each time there is a hearing in the trespass case, Rustomjee's men used to assault him physically a day before," alleges Arvind P, a close associate of Rao.
No escape
Rao has been employed with Rustomjee for over a decade now and when he asked to be relieved of his duties, he was beaten and a case of trespassing was slapped against him.
Previously employed with the Khaleeli household, he was aware that the 4.5-acre plot, which Rustomjee was eying, is actually owned by Shakereh Khaleeli's daughters, and this could be the reason why he is not being allowed to quit.
Rao's family has alleged that he has been religiously attending the hearings, but Rustomjee never comes to court.
"Because he doesn't have official land documents, he is scared he will be cross questioned about the same," explains K H Anjanappa, Nagaraj's counsel.
'It's not true'
Sunder B, Rustomjee's counsel said, "Nagaraj's mother is mentally unsound and will take back the complaint. My client has been falsely accused."
History
Shakereh Namazie was the daughter of late Gulam Hussain Namazie and Gauhar Taj Begum Mirza, youngest daughter of the late Diwan of Mysore and Jaipur Sir Mirza Ismail.
In 1991 Sabah Shakereh's second daughter could not trace her mother's whereabouts. Despite repeatedly questioning her mother's second husband Murali Manohar Mishra alias Swami Shradhananda, nothing came up.
In 1992, Sabah's anxiety grew and she filed for a habeas corpus. For three years the swami evaded questions pretending his wife was on a perpetual holiday. In May 1994, Shakereh's skeletal remains were found buried deep in the courtyard of her own house.
