Leila and Jaya fight at George Fernandes’ 80th birthday party

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore. June 04:  Leila Kabir, Mr. George Fernandes’ estranged wife who had recently moved back into his life, and Jaya, his constant companion and political associate, had a fight on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Mr. Fernandes, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, was unaware of the drama that was unfolding around him. 

Open hostility had commenced between Jaya and Mr. Fernandes’ four brothers on one side and Leila, the daughter of former Union Minister Humanyun Kabir and her son Sean on the other side in January. Leila and 35-year-old Sean, who is an investment banker in New York, had applied for police security because they feared “foul play/physical harm from some people” who they felt “have been looting whatever is left” of Mr. Fernandes’ “assets and taking advantage of his poor health.” 

Accordingly, security personnel refused to permit anybody without prior permission from Leila and Sean, which meant that Fernandes’ old friends, including Jaya and his brothers, could not meet him whenever they wished. 

Jaya and Mr. Fernandes’ four brothers, however, gate crashed the birthday party held at Leila’s house in South Delhi. Yesterday, Fernandes’ brothers had moved court to secure an order to extend their meeting time with Mr. Fernandes. 

When Jaya and Leila met, they started calling each other names and asserting their rights on Mr. Fernandes till they were requested to behave themselves. Jaya, who had met Mr. Fernandes after 6 months, hugged and kissed him, while his brothers assured him that they were fighting for his freedom. 

Jaya and Mr. Fernandes’ brothers allege that Mr. Fernandes is now a “prisoner” while Leila claims that his poor health prevents him from interacting in public as before. Reportedly, around Rs 16 crore obtained from selling a coconut grove in Mangalore also plays an important part in the dispute. Fernandes’ brothers say that the money should go to an NGO according to a deal while Leila wants it for his medical expenses. She also denied allegations leveled against her by Jaya and said that anybody could meet Mr. Fernandes as long as they made a phone call before they came. 

Fernandes has been suffering from Alzheimer’s from the past few years. He could not recognize most of the people around him, but enjoyed the music and his favorite sweets and also laughed at a few old jokes.