RSSB guru is being shielded by Indian agencies, says Malvinder's attorney

This accusation has been made before by attorneys for Malvinder Singh, and it was made again last Tuesday, November 26. Here's a LiveMint story about the latest turn of events in the ongoing saga of how a guru, Gurinder Singh Dhillon, appears to be deeply involved in financial fraud.

I'll comment on this development following the story.

NEW DELHI : Delhi High court on Tuesday heard arguments on Enforcement Directorate’s plea for custodial interrogation of former promoter of Fortis Healthcare Malvinder Singh and former Managing Director of Religare Enterprises Sunil Godhwani in a money-laundering case related to alleged misappropriation of funds of Religare Finvest Limited (RFL).

Advocate Ramesh Gupta appearing for the respondents said the agency is not honest with their investigation.

“They have searched and seized the documents. I have joined the investigation whenever they asked of me. They are not touching the baba with whom 2000 crore is already there. They just want my confession. They want to know where the money is parked. I have nothing to do with those companies." He argued.

“They have arrested me only. They did not arrest the other accused. They want to shield Gurinder Singh Dhillon." He further added.

On the other hand, it was argued by standing counsel Amit Mahajan that there are 22 companies where 2300 crore has been transferred and there is an enormous material which needs to be confronted with the accused.

“I am trying to unearth the crime and trace the proceeds." He said.

The court will now hear further arguments on Wednesday.

The ED had arrested Singh and Godhwani on 14 November, following which their custody with the ED was extended twice. On 23 November, a Saket court rejected the ED's plea for extension of custody and remanded the two to judicial custody till 7 December.

ED had moved the Delhi high court against the trial court’s order.

Singh and Godhwani are accused of laundering money, punishable under sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

In December, Religare Enterprises and its subsidiary filed a complaint with the corporate affairs ministry alleging misappropriation of funds worth ₹2,230 crore of the company and its units.

The complaint also alleged that illegal issuances and redemption of preference shares led to undue gains of approximately ₹290 crore to promoter groups.

OK, it's good that the counsel for the Enforcement Directorate, which I've been told is sort of a cross between the FBI and CIA agencies in the United States, is trying to "unearth the crime and trace the proceeds." 

What's puzzling is why it is taking so long.

After all, follow the money is a given in financial fraud crimes. It's extremely difficult to believe that Malvinder Singh and Sunil Godhwani broke laws and engaged in a complicated scheme of round-trip loans going to shell companies without the cooperation, if not the connivance, of those who ultimately ended up with the money and controlled the shell companies at one time.

This isn't akin to someone robbing a bank and then giving the money away to a relative without that person knowing where the money came from. It's akin to someone robbing a bank with the assistance of someone who worked at the bank, with that employee than ending up with the money.

Malvinder and his attorney are asking a good question: why aren't the authorities focusing more on the people who were the ultimate beneficiaries of the money that was siphoned from Fortis and Religare?

This appears to be Gurinder Singh Dhillon, his family, and close associates.

Numerous stories in the Indian financial press have traced the flow of money into their pockets. And the High Court of Delhi has ordered the Dhillon family to repay money owed to Malvinder and companies once controlled by the Singh brothers so a $500 million settlement can be paid to Daiichi Sankyo.

Maybe the wheels of Indian justice are turning slowly, but in the right direction.

However, there's reason for concern that because the Dhillon family has friends in high places, and the millions of followers of the RSSB guru include some fanatical people who would do anything for the guru, possibly including committing violence in his name, there's been pressure on the Enforcement Directorate to go easy on Gurinder Singh Dhillon. 

Hopefully that isn't happening. Or if it is happening, it won't succeed.

This is a high profile case that has gotten worldwide attention. It would make India look bad if a guru was allowed to make off with hundreds of millions of dollars without legal consequences. This would send a bad message to companies thinking of investing in India. And it would leave the boards of Fortis, Religare, and Daiichi Sankyo justifiably enraged.

I'll end by citing a June 2019 post, "RSSB guru identified as beneficiary of fraudulent funds," where I quoted from a Business Today story that described filmmaker Sheetal Talwar's accusations that closely mirrored those just made by Malvinder's attorney. Here's some excerpts.

NRI film producer Sheetal Vinod Talwar has submitted to Sebi that Radha Soami Satsang chief Gurinder Singh Dhillon and his family allegedly benefited the most from Religare's Rs 2,300 crore fund diversion. Sebi's forensic audit via probe agency MSA Probe Consulting had identified diversion worth Rs 2,315.09 crore.

...Talwar has told Sebi that even though its Religare investigation via forensic audit firm MSA concluded fund diversion and large scale irregularities and illegalities, the probe did not lift the corporate veil to disclose the ultimate beneficiaries of the diversion.

Advocates & Solicitors Kartikeya & Associates-representing Talwar-have submitted to Sebi on 29 May, 2019 that, "...the persons who have benefitted the most and/or on whose instance the said illegalities and irregularities were and/or have been committed have yet not been identified. Please note that the persons and/or the shadow promoters of REL, RFL and their other group companies is one Gurinder Singh Dhillon (GSD/Babaji) and his family".

...Talwar's complaint to Sebi has also levelled a grave charge of a serious conflict of interest among Religare's then board  members. "...the fact that the companies shared common directors to the GSD family as well as were all run by GSD followers eg.

Just a quick review would point to the fact that during the diversion of funds, Vitoba, Platinum and Devera entities to which fund were diverted would reveal that Yuvraj Narain Gorwaney alias Mithu is on the board of these companies-not only is Yuvraj...the secretary of RSSB, he also sits on the board of Logos Holding along with GSD and Shabnam Dhillon. Many such associations exist between the entities named and GSD family."

Comments

[Pj2000]

Brian...you just couldn’t let this wait? I don’t understand the rationale. What if your wife has passed away and then someone started bashing you again. Give it a rest for a bit and have some heart.

[Anonom]

Pj2000, so what's the grace period?

If GSD himself isn't taking a break, what's your problem?

[PJ]

@pj2000 Don't be so naive. I want the truth, and so should you. You may have spent half your life following a conman, and that may not bother anyone else but it sure does me.

I'm checking in here regularly for Brian's updates, and obviously you are too.

[Chris]

No-one is bashing anyone. This is just news. That doesn't stop and won't stop. A crime of fraud has been committed. An investigation is ongoing. The accused fraudsters have been taken into custody and are in jail during the latest phase of the investigation. Yet the economic beneficiaries of the fraud are not in jail. They didn't even appear in court after having been ordered to appear. These are the facts.
This latest is just putting before us the facts of Malvinder's latest comments. There is no "bashing" of anyone reading here. Perhaps it feels like that for people who aren't comfortable with the reality of the situation. They feel "bashed" by it all.

[Meditator]

Wish the Believers not to be bothered about One who has been bothering each of us every moment due to His original command - Hukam made at the beginning of creation.

He does not write obituaries but comforts internally as the only companion of bosyless soul. He is every moment the One, not at some moments. He is different from rest. He mostly reveals Himself at the final breaths. So thats a thing to rejoice.

This forum intends simply to discuss or inquire into legitimate questions appearing in media about Him privately. Even as a friend it is my bonafide. duty to know. about His troubles provided He appreciates same. And He sits on Guru Gaddi of Param Puran Saints, a few of His disciples may ask whether there is some iota of truth. in it when allegatons are flying thick and fast even from the pre . Guru's family.

I am sure the things will be brought to halt as cleared by Him. His disciples are a worried lot but some .of us defend Him with half information and only on belief.

[KS]

RSSB are making viral a video of normally a camera shy GSD grinning to the camera sitting near Modi at Majithia sister house in Delhi.GSD holds state secrets , state knows jailing him will expose state secrets.

This dera is so powerful that in 1984 the firebrand Jarnail Singh Bhindravale had given a written notice and deadline to vacate the dera . Then BJP leader Lal Krishn Advani (dera follower ) and many other politicians pressurised Indira Gandhi to flush out Bhindravale from Golden temple .Before that RSSB dera vacation deadline Bhindravale was killed by the army,within few months premier was also killed by her bodyguards.

Majithia, a relative of GSD and brother of cabinet minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has been linked by agencies to many gangsters including Jagdish Bhola but he always escapes justice .

[Kp]

You just hate rssb guru...

[Brian Hines]

Kp, I don't know who you're talking about. I certainly don't hate the RSSB guru. I just love the truth.

All I've been doing is sharing what journalists in the Indian financial press have been writing about the guru's legal problems, and then talking about how I view those developments.

Maybe you're mistaking the fact that I view Gurinder Singh Dhillon as a flawed human being, as are all people, as "hate." I'm simply being realistic. No one is perfect, including the RSSB guru.

[Jesse]

KS, there is literally no connection whatsoever between Bhinderanwale and the RSSB Dera other than that Bindernwale's damdami taksal and the AKJ was like the ISIS of Sikhism and wanted all Deras out. The only thing they succeeded at was the massive growth in Deras because people were so sick of their insane fundamentalist version of Sikhi.

RSSB has some power, but you highly overestimate and exaggerate it. Operation Blue Star was definitely not done to protect RSSB, and it's insane to insinuate that.

[gurjot]

@ks

Let me tell you a fact. Bhindrawale sent a letter to then Guru(Charan singh) to vacate dera or get out from punjab otherwise he will blast whole dera center. There used to be ppl standing outside dera who used to chase every car coming out of dera.

After reading that letter, Charan Singh thrown that letter on floor and guess what, Bhindrawale was killed after 14 days.

[Arjuna]

@ gurjot.

Correction Master Charan singh throw the letter on the floor and crushed it with his foot. He then said something which is hard to translate into english. "3 days festival". Meaning he will have fun for 3 more days and then die. He was shot 3 days later .

[Baba Land Grab]

@Pj2000.
"What if your wife passed away and then someone started bashing you again"

What if you were a small farmer near Beas,earning your living from the 5 acres of land,your wife and childern dependant on this land and then comes a Spanish citizen,illegally diverts river Beas causing your land to disappear under the water,you can't afford to feed your family, send your chidern to school or pay for sick wife,s medicine,let alone send her to England for treatment ??.

There are just too many victims of this greedy Baba and his Majithia-Badal gang.

[Dr.v.j]

People.are not aware the facts that. Sometimes,saint guru are above the human level,viz. At God level.

[Maria de La Torre]

If you or I stole a tube of toothpaste from the supermarket, we would be arrested and sentenced tout suite but when it comes to billions of pounds and money laundering via Ponzi schemes, it's never straightforward. Money and power apply the brakes.
Look at Prince Andrew running around a free man. You or I would be sitting in jail by now if accused of the same. There is evidence on film too but he is being protected by the powers that be.
Whatever happens or has happened in these multi billion dollar frauds and Ponzi schemes is happening now. It's the same old story.
Follow the money.

[Ram Jaani]

One thing is certain. Gurinder has political connections. That is why Enforcement Directorate is avoiding any enquiry of Dhillon family.
Gurinder is not innocent, but he is powerful. Nobody will touch him. Enforcement Directorate is acting on instructions from higher up. They just keep delaying as instructed.
This is how it woeks in India

[Rks]

I feel horrified by the comments and the discussion which is going on. I am not a supporter nor i m a in favour of anyone, but still my soul ordered me that i should give some suggestions to all those wise people who are having a habit of passing a comment and their judgement as they are working as a senior judge of Indian Supreme Court.
Here i find that instead of healthy discussion every player in this game wants to withdraw attention by claiming the other to be wrong.
Brother with respect one simple question to all of you
Why all of you are passing your judgements without having a strong evidence or proof , if u have so then why u are wasting ur time here, if have go to the concerned authorities and if not then dont shout and keep ur mouth shut and watch all that happening like a respected spectator. This i request to both who are in favour of dera and to those who are not.Thnx

[j]

"Brother with respect one simple question to all of you
Why all of you are passing your judgements without having a strong evidence or proof , if u have so then why u are wasting ur time here, if have go to the concerned authorities and if not then dont shout and keep ur mouth shut and watch all that happening like a respected spectator. This i request to both who are in favour of dera and to those who are not.Thnx"

Another appeal from the RSSB sangat (my brothers?) to cease and desist from making any online comments about RSSB.

How many people outside RSSB know that 20 or so years ago, this organization's current guru banned any discussion of RSSB on the web? The ban has never been lifted, and the prejudice against any criticism of RSSB has been deeply ingrained in the sangat's culture.

I'm guessing that the same people who are "horrified" at critical comments about RSSB have no problem reading other news sites about events in India and across the world. I'm also uessing they're not writing to these media sites and imploring their brothers there to keep mum and just observe events dispassionately.

Let's be frank. No one here is accusing the RSSB gurus of anything that isn't based on evidence. I don't see any of the wild and lurid accusations against Gurinder here that you tend to find on some Sikh sites.

What we're commenting on is public record: 2 separate parties have accused Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon of taking huge sums of money and refusing to pay it back. I believe the diversion of the Beas river is also a matter of public record.

If you believe as your Guru does that commenting on those matters of public record is indecent and unseemly, that's your right. But you apparently forget that not all of us here are followers of your guru, and we don't agree with your or him that silence is the best policy.

[A Wise 🦉]

@ gurjot.

Correction Master Charan singh throw the letter on the floor and crushed it with his foot. He then said something which is hard to translate into english. "3 days festival". Meaning he will have fun for 3 more days and then die. He was shot 3 days later .

Posted by: Arjuna | December 01, 2019 at 01:12 AM

Never heard this or even what Gurjot says. But I do know (for it was in my dad's presence) once when during a Exco meeting the security threat and separate statehood was raised, Hazur in a nonchalant manner remarked - Khalistan not even in his wildest dream.

@KS,

Your allegations are incredulously stupid.

And yes that video from Nov 2018 - if yes gosh it's run it's life long ago and which remote part of the world you live in?

[gurjot]

No body is saying that, you shud not Qn RSSB or present master. But alteast, you can wait for final verdict and then you can open your shop. But here, ppl have already made up mind.

Pls prove that, you dont have any agenda ?

if you know even least about dera than you wudn't have any prob in realizing that Shivinder or malvinder had been contributing for dera extension. This is where money have been used.

You cant buy huge land by meagre contributions going to dera.

if master says, he does not own any money then he is right.

[Rajat]

No RSSB member would like to listen anything against GSD or their organisation.

They just want to keep their eyes shut even all the evidence are on net and explained by many news papers and Brian himself

No proof will be enough when blind faith is there

See what Happened with Baba Ram Rahim (also a former part of RSSB)..their followers still don't believe and even they go outside prison and worship their Baba there

It took more than 15 years to get Baba in prison, that is how slow justice system works in India..also many people don't get any prison sentence if they have political backing.

You can see the 1984 holocaust accused are still free....so how can you think that this Baba will be in jail soon when he got the all political and social backing

It's very difficult to change and think that your belief can be wrong, it is like defeat and no one want to get defeated so don't try to convince and RSSB followers..they have already distroved their future..so have some sympathy

There are many cases where RSSB threatened people whoever want to show their reality to world

I found below News in Times of India last year..one example of RSSB threatening to show the truth. I am sure many people might be murdered who tried to show the truth..but they were ordinary people so no news...

Saint doesn't need land which gives bread to farmer but Beas is a example where land was snatched, forced to sell undervalued...too many examples

And people still believe GSD is at no fault and he spend his own money for travelling and all his expenses

Get some mind and calculate all these expenses yourself..Business class travelling, security, staying, charted plane..overseas medical treatments, kids studied in Cambridge..
How much money ge got and how much he earn per month..nothing will add up if you have very little knowledge of accounts

Also if he is businessman then when he gave his time to his business as he also busy in his trips abroad

Have a Look on below news

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/dharamvira-gandhi-faces-threats-for-raising-dera-beas-forcible-possession-of-farmers-land/articleshow/62542750.cms

[Maria del La Torre]

Everyone has a right and a duty to speak out and condemn fraud, especially when it puts people's lives at risk as was the case with Ranbaxy.
Lies should not be accepted in order to make others feel comfortable when honesty and integrity are at stake. Silence in such an instance is tantamount to complicity.
Honesty is one of the basic principles of any spiritual path. No one should be told to shut up and not speak the truth. Many of these whistleblowers risked their lives so that justice and truth could prevail. We should applaud them

[Anon]

This is a very complicated case, but can see how this blog is aiming to be the 'truth be known' site and is willingly making sensationalized verdicts based on an unfinished complex investigation. Funny how it believes indian journalism when it suits (unconscious bias?)What a picture this piecemeal approach is being developed here - I'd rather wait for the substance rather than observing smoke. As humans (and I count myself in) we fail to learn - this experience is not about who is more honest and who isn't - that's duality for you in this realm, its the choices we make and how we treat others along the way. I'm not saying not to deal with the unjust, I'm saying let things emerge as they will. Since the emergence of time, (wo)man has been in conflict. I would never proclaim to say I'm better than you or anyone, we can never walk in anyone's shoes and know their intrinsic thoughts/decisions. Look maybe this is your mission and only mission - whether there is compassion or no compassion, whether your steadfast in your hearsay communications but I take no enlightenment or awakenings from these 'posts' and developments. Funny how we don't focus on ourselves but too busy looking at the other.

[A Wise 🦉]

if you know even least about dera than you wudn't have any prob in realizing that Shivinder or malvinder had been contributing for dera extension. This is where money have been used.

You cant buy huge land by meagre contributions going to dera.

Posted by: gurjot | December 01, 2019 at 10:38 AM

Gurjot,

Singh bros may have been contributing their bit as seva to RSSB like other satsangis but to state that they donated away the monies they illegally siphoned off is farfetched.

But if they did it's Dumb and Dumber - 3 then.

[Georgy Porgy]

Innocent until proven guilty.

Guru hasn’t been charged with diddly squat. So there is nothing at all on public record that he is guilty of.

He was not the ceo of the company who presided over this abortion.

[Ram Jaani]

Mr Georgy Porgy
are you a follower of RSSB?
His wife who is now dead was the ceo of those companies
also were his sons.
He didnt use his own name so retards like you can say that it wasnt him.
Everyone knows he was the mastermind of all this.
even the newspapers are writing this
Dhillons received the money. What other evidence do you want?
He is not convicted because of political connections.

either the actor who accused him, and malvinder and all the other accusers are all liars
or he is the fraud, they cannot all be liars and he has already shown he is a liar.
he cannot go to the court to clear his name because he is guilty.
he is not the nice person all the followers think.
just listen to how he talks to the vilagers who want to go to court
he is mocking them only because he has political connections which will stop their case
going forward,
one thing is true that he is not a saint. saints never act this way.
show me in history even one saint that acted like he is doing.

[Ram Jaani Kachu Naahi]

Too bad for you Ram Jaani.

You want names of supposed Saints who acted like GSD. Here you go

Jesus, Mohammed, Kabir, Soamiji, Ram, Nanak, Osho, Teresa, Rumi, and so on.... The list is endless.

All were fakes, thugs, frauds.

THERE IS NO GOD!!! AND NO SAINTS.

But hey believers of GSD, you choose well. Always go for the rich, powerful and well-connected. I had heard he was worth Rs 2bln in 1990 when he became Guru. Fast forward 2020 Rs 2bln ---------> $2bln reasonable @15% CAGR.

And I really enjoy the exers writhing in frustration that your Baba is untouchable by law. LOL

[Colonel Jagrup Singh]

Babaji is living God on Earth your eligations can not defame him and his image . It is the spritual supper power and not the political power due to that nobody will be able to touch and defame babaji .And If you feel that your false eligations can defame him please do so and let us see whether you or anyone on this Earth can do anything wrong to babaji. Babaji is Good. Radha soami ji. Colonel Jagrup Singh

[Maria del La Torre]

Ranbaxy was not smoke, Anon. People's lives and health were ruthlessly risked in order to make fast profits. They didn't care who died or suffered as a result.

[Vikram]

If somebody accused it does not mean he is criminal.. its basic common sense..nothing has proved......singh brother who is blaming .is an idiot who has destroyed his family business..now blaming others for his failure..before accusing rssb master..go and give visit to beas and listen what they say in spiritual discourse..have your own inevstigation. Dont jump into conclusion by just merely reading newspapers or somebody's false blame..use your brain

[Whodunit]

Ranbaxy was Malvinder Singh at the helm

Get the facts straight.
They sold to Daiichi because they knew they were bust for bad medicine before the sale, and they tried to rake in the sale.

The fact that Daiichi managed to get a favorable verdict from arbitration court is a wonder because the sale took place After the first FDA bust and if Daiichi had done due diligence sufficient before purchasing they wouldn't have parted with their money upfront.

Gurinder is not responsible for Malvinder's bad business management or his unsafe and reckless and unscrupulous manufacturing processes. Gurinder has his hands full running and managing RSSB, that's his primary care and concern. Not Malvinder's defunct Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals.

[Ram Jaani]

these are the facts. none of these facts can be denied
previous guru appointed Gurinder as guru
Nimmi is daughter of Charan
you would expect Gurinder to respect Nimmi
Malav & Shiv are the sons of Nimmi
Out of respect for Charan, Gurinder must look after his grandsons
if not look after, at least not go against them.
these are also facts
Maliv and Shiv made Dhillon family into billionaires overnight
Gurinder admits this was a free gift.

now this is the biggest question
not a court verdict

does Gurinder have any gratitude towards the two brothers who gave such a big gift?

if someone gave me a gift like that, I would be grateful all my life

when they needed his help, he left them high and dry
but one thing he forgot

if they go down, he goes down too

Malvinder is saying truth now because he has already lost his billions

Gurinder has no morals. As head of the family he should have helped the two
brothers who made him into billionaire.

Instead he fights with them makes threats.

Gurinder cannot be a saint
why?
because he is not even a nice person
he might be able to buy his way out of the court allegations
but everyone can see who he is now
when he says "how do you know I am not a fraud?"
now the answer is clear. He is a fraud
a good person would have helped Malav and Shiv when they needed money
to stop bank taking their shares
but he turned away at that important time. big mistake
the singh brothers made him into billionaire and they need help
he shows his true colours
he refuses to help them. no morals. just greed. very bad
how can he be a true guru?
yes he talks on stage, big words.
but he doesn't walk the talk as the saying goes, he only talks.

[Sonia]

Well, maybe RSSB is getting a little more open-minded. Their quote of the day today on the RSSB.org site is from dear Friedrich Nietzsche (atheist), “What doesn’t, kill us makes us stronger.” Sadly, Nietzsche did kill himself.

I was on the site looking for information that was posted in a news article (which has been taken down) about RSSB being an advisor to some major multinational council. I was trying to find the name of the group but couldn’t...

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Sonia
You wrote
"Well, maybe RSSB is getting a little more open-minded. Their quote of the day today on the RSSB.org site is from dear Friedrich Nietzsche (atheist), “What doesn’t, kill us makes us stronger.” Sadly, Nietzsche did kill himself."

OMG.. LOL!
. You have a wicked sense of humor.

[Ram Jaani Kachu Naahi]

Sonia,

This bit huh?

RSSB is an organization in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations since 2018.

[A Smart One]

Sadly, Nietzsche did kill himself.

Posted by: Sonia | December 03, 2019 at 01:25 PM

Friedrich Nietzsche killed himself. Did he? Thank you for this revelation for until this post I was under the mistaken impression that after contracting pneumonia and suffering a third stroke he died.

Cheers

[Spence Tepper]

"Hence the ways of men part: if you wish to strive for peace of soul and pleasure, then believe; if you wish to be a devotee of truth, then inquire .."
—Nietsche

[Maria De La Torre]

The diagnosis of syphilis has since been challenged and a diagnosis of "manic-depressive illness with periodic psychosis followed by vascular dementia" was put forward by Cybulska prior to Schain's study.[97][98] Leonard Sax suggested the slow growth of a right-sided retro-orbital meningioma as an explanation of Nietzsche's dementia;[99] Orth and Trimble postulated frontotemporal dementia[100] while other researchers have proposed a hereditary stroke disorder called CADASIL.[101] Poisoning by mercury, a treatment for syphilis at the time of Nietzsche's death,[102] has also been suggested.[103]
In 1898 and 1899, Nietzsche suffered at least two strokes. This partially paralyzed him, leaving him unable to speak or walk. He likely suffered from clinical hemiparesis/hemiplegia on the left side of his body by 1899. After contracting pneumonia in mid-August 1900, he had another stroke during the night of 24–25 August and died at about noon on 25 August.[104] Elisabeth had him buried beside his father at the church in Röcken bei Lützen.

[Maria De La Torre]

The diagnosis of syphilis has since been challenged and a diagnosis of "manic-depressive illness with periodic psychosis followed by vascular dementia" was put forward by Cybulska prior to Schain's study.[97][98] Leonard Sax suggested the slow growth of a right-sided retro-orbital meningioma as an explanation of Nietzsche's dementia;[99] Orth and Trimble postulated frontotemporal dementia[100] while other researchers have proposed a hereditary stroke disorder called CADASIL.[101] Poisoning by mercury, a treatment for syphilis at the time of Nietzsche's death,[102] has also been suggested.[103]
In 1898 and 1899, Nietzsche suffered at least two strokes. This partially paralyzed him, leaving him unable to speak or walk. He likely suffered from clinical hemiparesis/hemiplegia on the left side of his body by 1899. After contracting pneumonia in mid-August 1900, he had another stroke during the night of 24–25 August and died at about noon on 25 August.[104] Elisabeth had him buried beside his father at the church in Röcken bei Lützen.

[Sonia]

Ram Jaani Kachu,

That’s what I was looking for! Thanks!

@A Smart One,

Thank you for the fact check. I had a dog in my early twenties which my boyfriend and I named Nietzsche. We had a very eccentric group of friends and spent hours in coffee shops discussing philosophy, literature and indie music scene. We were more pretentious than intelligent. Back then we didn’t have Google and obviously none of us bothered to crack a book and fact check the “suicide myth” which must have creeped into our beliefs about Nietzsche because he died at a somewhat early age, 55, and held a positive belief about suicide.

“The thought of suicide is a great consolation: by means of it one gets through many a dark night.”
Nietzsche

Bold move for RSSB to post one of his quotes. Like I said, they are clearly getting a little more progressive... not passing judgement on an opiate addicted, manic depressive (bipolar) with periodic episodes of psychosis. You’re right he didn’t commit suicide... just slowly killed himself as many addicts due and eventually died from a stroke.

[Sonia]

@Spence,

Humor keeps me sane. 🤪 Nice Quote!

@Maria De La Torre,

Interesting... very detailed. Thanks.

Nietzsche remains a fascinating figure... I find it curious that so many manic depressives have a strong tendency towards spiritual zealousness.

[Dungeness]

“What doesn’t, kill us makes us stronger.” Sadly, Nietzsche did kill himself."

A modern pundit's update:
"What doesn’t kill us makes us stranger.”

I think most CofC homeys would agree.

[Sonia]

@Dungeness,

Stranger indeed. Mind Flayers and Demogorgons!

[Ram Jaani Kachu Naahi]

Sonia,

That part is very much there on the RSSB website.

https://www.rssb.org

Scroll to bottom

[Sonia]

Thanks, Ram Jaani Kachu Naahi (I’m going to abbreviate that to RJKN going forward because I’m an American and long names are just too much for me).

I just wanted to find it and read more about it. Briefly caught a glimpse of it in a news piece...