They should get severest of penalties: Bhambhanis

His last conversation with me was since he was going to meet a client, I should not call to disturb him. He said he would call back when he was free,” said Poonam, going over their final moment

MUMBAI: Making rounds of court and police stations became par for course for late Harish Bhambhani’s family members, after he was found dead with his client Hema Upadhyay on December 12, 2015. Up until then the well-known lawyer rarely discussed work with his wife and two daughters.

Mumbai, India - Sept. 26, 2023: Poonam Bhambhani, the wife of late lawyer Harish Bhambhani who was found dead with his client artist Hema Upadhyay in 2015, while speaking about her memories of her husband, at King Cricle, in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

There were many unusual occurrences on the previous day when Poonam Bhambhani shared, what was to become, the last cup of tea with her husband Harish. A diabetic, Harish took his tea without sugar, but he broke the pattern that day and shared a cup of sweet tea with his wife. “There were other irregularities as well -- he would never leave home without taking his set of the house keys, but that day he told me he would not take them on his way out later. His last conversation with me was since he was going to meet a client, I should not call to disturb him. He said he would call back when he was free,” said Poonam, going over their final moment.

Poonam and Harish were married in 1985. A homemaker, she chose to build her life around her family, her primary focus being her husband and children. Since losing him, she has swung between bouts of deep depression and a desire for normality. “Even eight years later, she has not recovered from the shock of that day. She breaks down easily, at the mention of my father,” said her younger daughter Anita. Their first-born Sonia Nihalani is married and lives in Pune.

“Why was he killed – he was just doing his job,” said Poonam. At the time of the incident, Anita was a college student. Her life changed overnight – she gave up her carefree existence to become a responsible adult and took on the reins of the household. She managed home, her mother’s health and followed the court proceedings. One of her challenges was to shield her mother from the details of the case discussed in court and reported in the media. “The pictures and details in the chargesheet still give me nightmares,” she said. “The person who killed a 67-year-old gentleman going about his life and job deserves nothing short of severest of penalties.” She was the one who last spoke to her father on that day at 8:30pm, according to his call records. “I had called him to ask for an OTP, as I was using his credit card. I also asked him when he would return home,” recalled Anita.

“This is the least we deserved after all these years – justice,” said Poonam.