Filed in 1986, two years after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the petition came up for hearing for the first time yesterday by a division bench headed by acting Chief Justice V M Sahai, who took no time in dismissing it.
"The prayer of the petitioner is to declare that Mrs Indira Gandhi committed suicide, which cannot be granted. The petition is accordingly dismissed," Justice Sahai said, throwing out the petition.
The plea alleged that the country's first and only woman prime minister 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 petition filed by Navnitlal Shah was dismissed at the stage of admission after about 29 years. Shah never turned up to press the case even once.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
