The Indian Express Litigation Case is a true story of betrayal and deceit.
In the bustling city of Madras in 1925, a young man named Ramnath Goenka arrived with ambition burning in his heart. At just 20 years old, fate led him to Raja Mohan Prasad, a well-respected businessman with huge wealth akin to the Ambani of his times through a clerk named Chandanlal Mundhada.
One of the biggest tests of Ramnath Goenka’s abilities came when Raja Mohan Prasad faced a difficult situation. He had loaned Rs. 9 lakhs to a jeweler in Madras, who had pledged four trunks of jewelry in return. These precious trunks were kept securely in the Imperial Bank of India, but an unforeseen crisis emerged—the jeweler became entangled in insolvency proceedings. The trunks, now caught in legal complications, seemed impossible to recover.
It was in this moment of adversity that Ramnath Goenka truly proved his worth. Taking charge of the situation, he navigated through the intricate legal and financial maze, working tirelessly to free the trunks from the grip of insolvency. Against all odds, he succeeded, securing the jewelry and restoring his employer’s financial standing.
This act of unwavering commitment and resourcefulness solidified Raja Mohan Prasad’s trust in Ramnath Goenka completely. From that moment onward, their bond was unbreakable, and Ramnath Goenka’s path to greatness had truly begun.
The Employment Agreement: A New Chapter in Business
By 1926, Ramnath Goenka had not only proven his competence but had also become a trusted confidant of Raja Mohan Prasad. His sharp business acumen and influential connections within the European business community in Madras made him a key figure in discussions of expansion. It was he who convinced Raja Mohan Prasad to take a bold step—partnering with Bombay Company Limited, a British firm that specialized in importing gold, silver, and fine cloth from London.
Raja Mohan Prasad, always open to lucrative ventures, agreed. On June 30th, 1926, a Dubash agreement was signed, marking a major turning point. Under this agreement, Raja Mohan Prasad invested Rs. 1 lakh into a new business venture named Murai Prasad Mohan Prasad. The partnership structure was carefully designed—Raja Mohan Prasad, as the primary capitalist, held a 50% stake in the company. Ramnath Goenka, the working partner on a salary of 100 Rs per month with free boarding and lodging for his family, secured a 37% share, reflecting his crucial role in operations and expansion. Meanwhile, Chandanlal Mundhada, the very clerk who had introduced Goenka to Raja Mohan Prasad, was entrusted with the Power of Attorney, holding a 13% share after setting aside 5% for charity.
This agreement solidified Ramnath Goenka’s position as a business leader and strengthened his influence in the trade world. The collaboration with the Bombay Company Limited not only expanded their reach but also built new bridges between Indian entrepreneurs and British enterprises.
Little did anyone know that this deal was just the beginning of an even greater saga—one that would shape the future of business in India.
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The Puppetry: A Web of Deceit
Ramnath Goenka had swiftly climbed the ranks within Raja Mohan Prasad’s business empire, securing his position as Manager of the firm with a salary of Rs. 100 per month, along with free boarding and lodging for his family. His influence grew as he won the complete trust of Raja Mohan Prasad. However, beneath this veneer of loyalty, Goenka had devised a cunning plan to manipulate the very foundation of the business.
With control firmly in his grasp, he created several dummy companies under fictitious names inspired by his own relatives—Baijnath Radhakishen, Janakidas Baijnath, Mahadeolal Dalamia, and Basantilal Bhagwandas. The latter names were particularly telling, as Basantilal was Goenka’s father, and Bhagwandas was his son. These fake firms were presented as legitimate buyers and dealers for procuring goods from Bombay Company Limited, an unsuspecting British enterprise.
Once the goods were acquired under these dummy names, Goenka sold them for profit but never remitted the payments to Bombay Company Limited. When the British company eventually demanded their dues, he manipulated Raja Mohan Prasad into paying under the pretense of maintaining business credibility.
But Goenka’s deception didn’t end there. He misused Raja Mohan Prasad’s wealth to invest in real estate, purchasing lands under his own name while keeping the entire operation hidden. His masterstroke was that while the business thrived, the true profits remained with him, while Raja Mohan Prasad unknowingly funded his empire.
This elaborate scheme went unnoticed for a while, as Goenka’s carefully crafted illusion of loyalty masked the betrayal unfolding behind the scenes.
Would Raja Mohan Prasad ever discover the truth? And if so, what would the consequences be?
And the GAME Continues…
By 1926, Raja Mohan Prasad's business was burdened with mounting debts, accumulating up to Rs. 3 lakhs payable to Bombay Company Limited as part of the first Dubash agreement. However, instead of finding ways to clear the debt responsibly, Ramnath Goenka manipulated Raja Mohan Prasad into covering the payments while secretly channeling the money to purchase properties in his own name.
The deception intensified between 1927 and 1929, when Goenka purchased two major land holdings using the firm’s funds. The first was a 12-acre plot in Madras for just Rs. 5000, and the second, a massive 850-acre land in partnership with Kotnis & Dandekar for Rs. 60,500. Despite the partnership, Goenka held a dominant 50% stake in the latter deal, securing a significant personal fortune.
But his ambitions didn’t stop at land acquisition. By 1935, he used his sharp manipulative skills to push Raja Mohan Prasad into taking over the struggling Vishnu Lakshmi Depot business, a subsidiary of Bombay Company Limited that was burdened with Rs. 13 lakhs in liabilities. Interestingly, the man responsible for those liabilities was none other than Ramnath Goenka himself, who had siphoned off company funds while serving as Chief Salesman of Bombay company limited apart from being partner in Raja Mohan Prasad's firm. Ramnath Goenka created a dark web of treachery and deceit where he trapped his benefactor Raja Mohan Prasad who gave me him an opportunity to be a partner and the officers of the British company also.
What had started as a trusted business relationship had now transformed into a game of deception, control, and ultimate betrayal. Would Raja Mohan Prasad ever reclaim what was rightfully his, or had Goenka secured his empire beyond reach?
The Disappearing Act
Goenka convinced Raja Mohan Prasad of his sincerity and urged him not to allow Bombay Company Limited to proceed with legal actions against the entities involved.
With this delay, Ramnath Goenka ensured that the Bombay Company Limited did not pursue legal actions against his fake companies, buyers, or relatives. However, under growing pressure from Raja Mohan Prasad, Goenka issued a promissory note of ₹5 lakhs on September 1, 1936, along with a trust letter dated January 4, 1937, again assuring his loyalty and commitment to return the properties.
Yet, behind the scenes, Goenka orchestrated a legal decree against Raja Mohan Prasad, obtaining an ex-parte judgment on January 25, 1937, for ₹6,41,052, effectively trapping him in an inescapable legal battle. Then, Goenka vanished.
The Untimely Demise of Raja Mohan Prasad
Ironically, Goenka, who had started with nothing when he joined Raja Mohan Prasad in 1925, went on to become a multimillionaire and lived until the age of 91.
Raja Mohan Prasad’s widow raised their four children with immense hardship. She always told them about Goenka’s treachery, warning them that he had not only stolen their wealth but had also robbed their family of peace and security.
At 18, Narendra Prasad, Raja Mohan Prasad’s son, approached Goenka for help, but the promises he had made were never honored. When Narendra’s mother passed away in 1976, He discovered a certified copy of the ₹5 lakh promissory note signed by Goenka, along with a court file number.
The Beginning of the Indian Express Litigation Case
Determined to uncover the truth, Narendra Prasad searched the Andhra Pradesh High Court for three years. Eventually, he found a complete set of documents filed by his father in 1937 against the Bombay decree in the then "Nizam’s Court."
After obtaining certified copies, he wrote to Ramnath Goenka, demanding that he fulfill his obligations as a trustee. Despite multiple letters, Goenka evaded responsibility with vague excuses.
1982 - Suit Litigation Case Filed
For 15 long years, the Goenkas dragged the case in the Madras High Court. Each hearing resulted in yet another delay, with powerful political influence ensuring that Goenka never appeared before the court.
In 1989, under immense court pressure, Goenka submitted a written statement, admitting to most of the facts but twisting the narrative in his favor. Finally, in 1997, the case went to trial. Narendra Prasad was cross-examined for over 50 hours across six months.
Justice A. Raman reserved the judgment in April 1997 after hearing both sides.
2009 - 2015 - Evidence from the Indian Express Legal Heirs’ Admittance
After Goenka’s death in 1991, his brother Baijnath Goenka’s family, based in Nepal, filed a case in 1992 in the Bombay High Court, claiming that the Indian Express empire was a Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) property and demanding a 50% share.
However, knowing this was untrue, Goenka’s legal heirs—Vivek Goenka, Saroj Goenka, and Manoj Sonthalia—submitted a sworn affidavit admitting that the empire was built using Raja Mohan Prasad’s money. They even filed the same documents that Narendra Prasad had submitted in the 1982 suit.
This long legal battle, spanning generations, reveals a story of betrayal, loss, and the fight for justice against one of India’s most powerful media empires.
The Long-Awaited Breakthrough (2009 - 2015)
After decades of legal battles, a crucial revelation surfaced in 2009. Narendra Prasad discovered that the heirs of Ramnath Goenka—Vivek, Manoj, and Saroj—had made a significant admission in the Bombay High Court. Their sworn statements acknowledged the origins of the Indian Express empire, reinforcing the very claims Narendra had been fighting for since 1982.
Determined to strengthen his case, he swiftly applied for certified copies of these documents and submitted them to the Chennai High Court. He requested that they be marked as additional evidence in the ongoing 1982 suit, hoping this would bring him closer to justice.
Finally, in 2015, the Chennai High Court ruled in Narendra Prasad’s favor. The crucial documents were officially marked as additional evidence, solidifying their place in the case. This moment was a turning point—what had once been denied and disputed was now part of the court’s records, an irrefutable piece of the puzzle.
With this victory, Narendra Prasad inched closer to exposing the full extent of the deception and reclaiming what was rightfully his family’s.
The Battle to Preserve the Empire (2015 - 2017)
With the newly marked evidence in 2015 confirming the origins of the Indian Express empire, panic began to spread among the Goenkas. They sensed the impending threat to their control and responded in a desperate manner—by selling off valuable assets.
Between 2009 and 2015, they had already begun liquidating parts of the empire. The iconic Express Towers at Nariman Point, Mumbai, was sold in 2014 for a staggering ₹900 crores. The leading Kannada newspaper Kannada Prabha had been sold in 2011, and the Bollywood magazine Screen was let go in 2015. These transactions indicated their fear that the legal battle could strip them of their holdings.
Narendra Prasad quickly recognized this pattern. The very fact that the Goenkas were rushing to dispose of assets confirmed their acknowledgment—albeit indirect—that the foundation of the empire had been built using his grandfather Raja Mohan Prasad’s wealth. If they truly had no fear of losing, why were they selling off the empire piece by piece?
Understanding the urgency, Narendra Prasad and his legal team filed an application in the Madras High Court, seeking a status quo order. This would prevent the Goenkas from selling any more of the empire’s properties or businesses until the case was fully resolved.
In 2017, the court accepted the application. This ruling ensured that the remaining assets of the Indian Express empire would remain intact until the truth was fully uncovered in court.
Though it was a victory, the battle was far from over. The fight for justice continued, but for the first time in decades, the tide was turning in Narendra Prasad’s favor.
2017: The Trial Resumes After 35 Years
At first, there was a glimmer of hope. Justice Karthikeyan recognized the long pendency of the case and was inclined to grant a stay, ensuring that no further transactions or manipulations could take place while the trial proceeded. But just as things seemed to be moving in the right direction, the opposing counsel, Ms. Hema Sampath, intervened.
She pleaded with the judge not to grant a status quo order, promising that she would not drag the case any further. She insisted that the trial should proceed without unnecessary legal obstacles. It seemed like an attempt to convince the court that there would be no further delays—yet those fighting for justice knew better than to take such assurances at face value.
As the trial unfolded, the pressure surrounding the case became evident. The weight of powerful interests, the decades-long conflict, and the stakes involved were too overwhelming. After just two sessions, Justice Karthikeyan made a startling announcement in open court—he was facing immense pressure and could not handle the case. Unable to withstand the external forces bearing down on him, he recused himself, passing the case to another judge.
It was yet another delay in the relentless legal battle. But even in the face of setbacks, Narendra Prasad and his supporters knew one thing for certain—the fight for the truth was far from over.The Trial Resumes After 35 Years
For decades, the legal battle over the Indian Express empire had been entangled in delays and resistance. But in July 2017, a long-awaited breakthrough arrived—the case was finally brought before Justice S. Karthikeyan.
Justice Karthikeyan, recognizing the prolonged pendency of the suit, seemed inclined to grant a stay, ensuring that no further actions would interfere with the trial. However, the opposing counsel, Ms. Hema Sampath, took a different stance. She pleaded with the judge not to impose a status quo, promising that she would allow the trial to proceed without unnecessary obstructions.
Despite her assurances, the weight of the case proved too much. After just two sessions, Justice Karthikeyan made a stunning declaration in open court. He admitted that the pressure surrounding the case was immense, beyond what he could handle. Unable to withstand the mounting external forces, he made the decision to transfer the case to another judge.
For those fighting for justice, this was yet another setback. The trial had resumed after 35 years, but the obstacles remained as formidable as ever. Yet, the pursuit of truth and justice could not be silenced—the battle was far from over.
The Trial Continues - 2017
After years of delays and judicial transfers, the case was finally assigned to Justice R. Subramanian. Unlike his predecessors, he approached the matter with enthusiasm and commitment. Recognizing the gravity of the dispute, he allocated dedicated time for hearings, setting sessions from 2 to 5 PM daily for three months.
During this crucial period, the legal battle intensified. Advocate Hari Kumar, representing the petitioner, meticulously presented 445 marked exhibits—each piece of evidence a key to unlocking the truth. His arguments sought to establish that Ramnath Goenka was not the sole architect of the Indian Express empire but a business partner of Raja Mohan Prasad, the petitioner’s grandfather.
The evidence painted a compelling picture—proving that the properties and assets under dispute were, in fact, acquired using Raja Mohan Prasad’s funds and held in trust by Goenka. This revelation struck at the heart of the case, challenging the foundation of the Goenkas’ claim over the empire.
As the hearings concluded, both sides had laid their arguments bare. On December 9, 2017, Justice Subramanian reserved the case for judgment. Decades of legal struggle had finally reached the brink of resolution.
2018 - Judgment and Appeal
March 9th, 2018 was a day of immense disappointment for the petitioner and their legal team. After years of fighting to establish the rightful ownership of the disputed empire, Justice R. Subramanian delivered a judgment that seemingly ignored the overwhelming evidence presented in court.
More than 270 marked exhibits, meticulously gathered over years, were disregarded. Even the legal heir’s admittance—which had taken six long years to be formally accepted as evidence—was ignored. Factual errors riddled the judgment, casting doubt on the fairness of the decision.
The ruling did acknowledge that Ramnath Goenka was a partner of Raja Mohan Prasad, yet it denied the trust deed, a crucial document that Goenka himself had signed and acknowledged in his written responses to interrogatories. The contradiction in the judgment left the petitioners feeling that justice had not been served.
However, they refused to lose hope. Determined to fight for what they believed was right, they swiftly moved to appeal. In June 2018, an appeal was formally filed before the Chennai High Court double bench, backed by solid documentary evidence that exposed the errors in the previous judgment.
The legal battle was far from over, but the acceptance and numbering of the appeal signified that the fight for justice would continue.
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