An ordinary murder took an extraordinary turn one hundred years ago on this day – 12 January 1925 – when a group of men ambushed a couple on a car ride in an upscale suburb of Bombay (now Mumbai) in colonial India. The man was fatally shot, and the woman’s face was slashed. What initially seemed like a typical crime soon captured global attention due to its intricate details, causing trouble for the British rulers of India and leading to the abdication of an Indian king. Newspapers and magazines referred to it as “perhaps the most sensational crime committed in British India,” making it the talk of the city during the investigation and trial.
The victim, Abdul Kadir Bawla, aged 25, was a prominent textile businessman and the youngest municipal official in the city. His companion, Mumtaz Begum, aged 22, was a courtesan fleeing the harem of a princely state who had been staying with Bawla for several months. The tragic event occurred while they were driving in Malabar Hill, an affluent area along the Arabian Sea, in a time when cars were a luxury owned only by the wealthy.
As their car was overtaken and collided with by another vehicle, the assailants targeted Bawla and demanded the woman to be taken out. After fatally shooting Bawla, they attempted to abduct Mumtaz Begum, but British soldiers, who happened to be nearby, intervened. Despite their efforts, one soldier was injured in the gunfire exchange. The attackers, speculated to be after Mumtaz Begum, fled the scene, leaving a trail of clues that led the investigators to the influential princely state of Indore, a British ally.
Mumtaz Begum, known for her beauty, had previously resided in the harem of the Hindu king of Indore, Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar III. However, their relationship turned sour due to the king’s controlling behavior, which restricted her freedom to meet family members and kept her under constant surveillance. The investigation shed light on the complex dynamics involving a wealthy tycoon, a disgruntled king, and a captivating woman, capturing the interest of the public and media alike.
In the upscale Malabar Hill neighborhood, Bawla was murdered [Getty Images]. In Indore, Mumtaz Begum gave birth to a baby girl who tragically passed away shortly after. “After my child was born, I was reluctant to remain in Indore because the nurses killed the newborn female,” Mumtaz Begum testified in court. Escaping to her mother’s hometown of Amritsar in northern India, troubles continued to haunt her as she was closely monitored even there. Mumtaz Begum’s stepfather revealed that the Maharaja pleaded for her return, but she refused and relocated to Bombay where the surveillance persisted.
The trial confirmed suspicions of the Maharaja’s involvement, as it was revealed that representatives had threatened Bawla with severe repercussions if he continued to harbor Mumtaz Begum, warnings which he had disregarded. Following a lead from Shafi Ahmed, the sole attacker captured at the scene, the Bombay police apprehended seven men from Indore. Investigations unearthed undeniable connections to the Maharaja, notably the majority of the arrested men being employed by the princely state of Indore, applying for leave concurrently, and being in Bombay at the time of the crime.
The murder presented a challenge for the British government as the plot was orchestrated in Indore, a state with close ties to the British Empire. The New Statesman described it as a delicate matter for the British government due to Indore’s influential relationship with the Raj. British authorities initially tried to conceal the Indore link publicly but privately expressed apprehension over the situation, as evident from communications between the governments of Bombay and British India.
Bombay’s police commissioner, Patrick Kelly, emphasized to the British government that all signs pointed towards a conspiracy originating in Indore to abduct Mumtaz Begum through hired culprits. The British government faced mounting pressure from various quarters including Bawla’s affluent Memon community and Indian lawmakers, demanding accountability and transparency in the case.
The trial at the Bombay High Court attracted prominent legal representatives including Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who later became Pakistan’s founding father. Jinnah defended Anandrao Gangaram Phanse, a key general in the Indore army, successfully averting the death penalty for his client. While the court sentenced three men to death and three to life imprisonment, it refrained from holding the Maharaja directly responsible, citing unidentified persons behind the assailants. Justice LC Crump, presiding over the trial, acknowledged the presence of unseen influences in the attempted abduction case.
The judge observed that as the mistress of the Maharaja of Indore, it is conceivable to consider Indore as the possible source of this attack,” he remarked. Due to the high profile nature of the case, the British government was compelled to take swift action against the Maharaja. They presented him with a decision: either face a commission of inquiry or abdicate, as detailed in documents submitted to parliament in India. The Maharaja opted to step down. “I hereby renounce my position in favor of my son under the condition that there will be no further investigation into my alleged involvement in the Malabar Hill Tragedy,” he communicated to the British authorities.
Following his abdication, the Maharaja generated additional controversy by insisting on marrying an American woman despite opposition from his family and community. Eventually, she converted to Hinduism and the couple exchanged vows, as recorded in a report from the British home department. Meanwhile, Mumtaz Begum was courted by Hollywood and subsequently relocated to the United States in pursuit of opportunities. Her presence gradually faded into obscurity thereafter.
