CM releases book on Rajan Pillai

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, AUG. 21. As in life, so in death. And six years after his death, Rajan Pillai, still continues to be in the thick of one controversy or the other.

Did Ms. Nina Gopika Pillai, the wife of Rajan Pillai, have her attorney file a bogus affidavit in a South Bangkok civil court in her attempt at invoking her right to his wealth, soon after his death in 1995? And what was it that the attorney falsely submitted before the court, in what was called the Black Case No.23456/1995? That Ms. N. Rajamony Amma, Rajan Pillai's mother had died before him. The elderly lady, who is still alive, has legally questioned the veracity of this report of her death.

More such startling disclosures have been made in a book `A wasted death -- the rise and fall of Rajan Pillai', authored jointly by Mr. J. Rajmohan Pillai, his brother, and Mr. K. Govindankutty, renowned journalist and author.

The book, the first non-fictional work from Kerala and to be published by the Penguin Books India, was released at a solemn function held here this evening.

Ms. Nina Pillai, who had been made sole signatory for all of Rajan Pillai's accounts, even refused to furnish the amount as directed by a Mumbai court as anticipatory bail for Rajan. The book says that she bluntly refused -- "Rajan has left no big money with me for such expensive court cases".

Further more, Ms. Nina's supreme strength was Rajan's infatuation for her and her knowledge of it. And more startling is the revelation that it was Mr. Nusli Wadia, who succeeded Rajan as chairman of `Britannia', that assured Rajan's father that `Gopika is a good girl, known to him', when the father was not quite happy about the alliance. Ms. Nina had also modelled on a few occasions, for Mr. Nusli Wadia's `Bombay Dyeing'.

Releasing the book by handing over a copy to Mr. K. Gopinathan Nair, uncle of Rajan Pillai, the Chief Minister, Mr. A.K. Antony, recalled his association with Pillai right from their student days.

Few lived like him and none died like him, the Chief Minister said of Rajan Pillai. "Was it death, or wasn't it a murder?" the Chief Minister asked adding that justice was not done unto him.

Even after reaching such dizzy heights that a Keralite could hardly imagine, Rajan continued to retain his qualities of being gentle, kind and humble. Had he been alive now, especially at a time when the policies of liberalisation ad globalisation were gaining momentum, Rajan could have soared even higher, Mr.Antony said.

Mr. Kadavoor Sivadasan, Minister for Electricity, presided over the function. Rajan Pillai's parents, Mr. K. Janardhanan Pillai and Ms. Rajamony Amma, were also present. Mr. K. Govindankutty welcomed the gathering and Mr. J. Rajmohan Pillai proposed a vote of thanks.

A seminar on `Human Rights and Rajan Pillai' was also held later in the evening. It was organised by the Indian Mercantile Trust.

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