Mumbai: The alleged suicide of Maharajkumar Ghanaditya-sinh Vikramsinh Jadeja has left his friends perplexed. At 8 am on Wednesday, Jadeja's girlfriend and servant found him lying in the bathtub of his eight-floor apartment in Worli, Mumbai.
According to police sources, he was found with a bullet shot in the forehead from a 3.25 mm pistol. Sources revealed that Jadeja was not close to his family members and was living with his girlfriend of 25 years.
Maharajkumar Ghanadityasinh Vikramsinh Jadeja, also called Ghannu among his friends, was born on March 3, 1946. He completed his schooling from The Doon School, Dehradun.
Jadeja was a keen sports car racer in his younger days, having participated in various races in India and abroad.
Residents of the building told MiD DAY that he lived in a sprawling 3,000-sq-ft flat.
Nitin Dossa, chairman of Vintage and Classic Car Club of India, said, "He was a jovial man and an avid car collector. The news has come as a huge shock to people in racing circles."
Jadeja's elder brother, Maharajah Jyotendrasinh Vikramsinh Sahib, the 16th Maharaja of Gondal, a district in Gujarat, reached Mumbai. The police have registered a case of suicide and the body was sent to Nair Hospital for a post-mortem.
However, a close friend of Jadeja, who did not wish to be named, said that things were not as fine as they appeared. "Jadeja was not doing well in his stock broking for some time and a property case filed against him left him depressed."
The police have found a note which stated that no one is to blame for the suicide. Jadeja was undergoing psychiatric treatment under Dr Anil Desai. About 10 days back, he had visited his family in Gujarat. The police have also recorded the statement of his 55-year-old partner Rosy Samuel aka Rinku.
Jadeja, who was believed to be a close friend of Dr Vijay Mallya, was known to be a generous man and had also reportedly awarded Rs 5 lakh to his servant. His graciousness was well known among his friends. "His death has come as a huge shock for the royal family," said another close friend.
Nazir Hoosein, founder of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India and fellow racer, said
the Prince was a pleasure to interact with. "He was an absolute gentleman, on and off the circuit. Competition between us was fierce, but he was never unfair," he said. Shocked at the news, a depressed Hoosein added that it was strange to think that Jadeja would take his own life. "He just didn't seem to be that kind of a person," he added.