Enal gets her cremation wish

Justice Peter Jamadar also ordered relatives named as defendants in a High Court injunction, to return items to Enal which were taken from a mall on High Street owned by Maharajh.

Within minutes of the court’s order, Enal, 37, moved in with a pick-up van and seized the items consisting of cash and documents. The seizure was supervised by policemen and Enal’s attorney Ernest Koylass. Up to late yesterday, Enal, who had been Maharajh’s common-law wife for the past 17 years, was making preparations for the funeral.

Yesterday’s hearing was the third in Enal’s bid to challenge relatives from taking charge of Maharajh’s funeral and their seizure of items from his mall on Lower High Street. Maharajh, who owned $30 million in cash and prime property in San Fernando, was beaten to death last Wednesday. Enal, originally from Rousillac, found his body. The couple had no children.

His scheduled funeral on Saturday was postponed when Enal sought an injunction Friday night. On Sunday, Jamadar issued a consent order when Enal and relatives agreed to cremate Maharajh. But there was a change of heart and yesterday both parties went back before Jamadar when relatives decided they would prefer that the murdered doctor be buried. Enal named Maharajh’s sister, Shakuntala Singh, his niece Roshini Singh, nephew Kiran Singh and cousin UNC MP Chandresh Sharma, as defendants in the action.

After hearing arguments yesterday from Koylass and Dr Charles Seepersad representing relatives, Jamadar ruled that Maharajh’s relatives be allowed until 4 pm today to have tissue samples taken from the body. The body is being kept at Belgrove’s Funeral Home. The judge ordered that Enal take control of the body.

However, Jamadar ruled that Enal, who is the executrix of Maharajh’s estate, has the authority to decide the form of disposal for Maharajh. But disposal of the body, the judge further ordered, must only take place after it is examined by a forensic pathologist appointed by the relatives.

Jamadar further ordered that Enal was entitled to be present and/or have her own expert present, during the examination. Enal, the judge ordered, was also entitled to have samples of all tissues removed from the body.

Sharma testified at yesterday’s hearing.