Veteran jurist and former Union Minister Ram Jethmalani passes away at 95

Eminent jurist and former Union minister Ram Jethmalani, who defended the accused in some of the most difficult and high-profile cases including the assassinations of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, passed away on Sunday at the age of 95.

Jethmalani breathed his last at 7.45 am at his official residence in New Delhi. He was not keeping well for a few months, his son Mahesh Jethmalani told PTI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the residence of Jethmalani to pay their last respects.

His mortal remains were cremated at Lodhi road crematorium later in the evening in the presence of family members, friends and eminent people from various walks of life including Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Mahesh Jethmalani, a senior advocate himself, lit the funeral pyre. Ram Jethmalani's daughter Shobha and his daughter-in-law were also present.

Tributes poured in for Jethmalani, who passed away just days before his 96th birthday on September 14, with President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah recalling his contribution and describing him as an "iconic public figure" who never shied away from boldly expressing himself on any subject.

Jethmalani was a sitting member of Rajya Sabha from the RJD. He served as Union Law minister and also as Urban Development minister during the prime ministership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee against whom he later contested the 2004 Lok Sabha polls from Lucknow seat.

He had earned the reputation of being a maverick politician who was not constrained by party lines and was characteristically forthright in his views.

Modi 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.

"He may not be here but his pioneering work will live on! Om Shanti," he said.

Widely respected by the Bar and the Bench, he also served as the Supreme Court Bar Association president in 2010.

"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.

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".

Home Minister Amit Shah said he was "deeply pained" to know about Jethmalani's demise and described it as an "irreparable loss" to the entire legal community.

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 came to defending his clients.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi extended her condolences to his family and friends. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh hailed Jethmalani 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."