The Nanavati Murder Trial That Changed Indian Law, Abolished Jury Trials

Athlete OJ Simpson, once celebrated on the American football field, but forever marked by the shadow of a high-profile murder trial, has died at the age of 76. He was accused of killing his ex-wife and her male friend in a suburb of Los Angeles. The televised police chase to apprehend Simpson, and the extraordinary subsequent trial featuring high-octane lawyers and allegations of racism, were watched by millions on television.

His acquittal in October 1995 after nine months in court was greeted with disbelief by many Americans who had followed every twist and turn in the arguments over details as intricate as whether a pair of gloves fitted the former athlete's hands.

A case in India that took place in 1959, the KM Nanavati trial, bore an eerie similarity to the OJ Simpson Case and captured the people's attention. Kawas Manekshaw Nanavati, an Indian Navy Commander, was accused of murdering his wife's lover Prem Ahuja.

Sylvia, Nanavati's wife, had confessed to her husband about her affair with Ahuja while he was out on missions. Nanavati then dropped his wife and kids at a movie and went to the Naval Base. He collected his pistol with six bullets on a false pretext and headed to Prem Ahuja's house.

Nanavati confronted Ahuja about his intentions and asked him if he planned to marry Sylvia. When Ahuja refused, Nanavati fired three bullets killing him on the spot.

The Naval Commander immediately went to a police station and confessed to the crime. He also confessed in court and detailed how he planned the murder.

Despite his confession, Nanavati was declared 'not guilty' of premeditated murder by a jury. The jury's verdict was later dismissed by the Bombay High Court.

On March 11, 1960, the High Court found Nanavati guilty of killing Ahuja and sentenced him to life in prison. The sentence was suspended by the Governor of Bombay within hours.

The Supreme Court overturned the order and sent the Naval officer to prison. He was granted parole on health grounds in 1963 and a year later was pardoned by the new Bombay Governor and Jawaharlal Nehru's sister Vijayalakshmi Pandit.

After receiving a pardon in the case, KM Nanavati emigrated to Canada along with Sylvia and their three children.

The Nanavati case, much like OJ Simpson's trial, captured the imagination of the public and the media. Its impact resonated through the years, inspiring books and movies, including the 2016 film 'Rustom,' starring Akshay Kumar, which delved into the influence of media on the trial's outcome.

This was the last case to be heard as a jury trial in India, as the government abolished jury trials soon after.