Parkar was being examined as a witness in the HC which is hearing the dispute between Thackeray's sons, party president Uddhav and Jaidev. In his last will of December 13, 2011, Thackeray has not left a farthing for his estranged son Jaidev, who has disputed the will saying his father was of unsound mind and that Uddhav influenced him.
Bal Thackeray had been chronically ill since 2007 and would be accompanied by trained medical staff whenever he stepped out of Matoshree in Bandra. This was told to the Bombay high court on Tuesday by Dr Jaleel Parkar of Bandra's Lilavati Hospital, who had done the late Shiv Sena chief's daily check-ups in November-December 2007.
Parkar was being examined as a witness in the HC which is hearing the dispute between Thackeray's sons, party president Uddhav and Jaidev. In his last will of December 13, 2011, Thackeray has not left a farthing for his estranged son Jaidev, who has disputed the will saying his father was of unsound mind and that Uddhav influenced him.
Apart from being Thackeray's doctor, Parkar signed his will as an attesting witness. Having completed his MBBS in 1982, Parkar specialises in pulmonary medicine and was treating the late leader for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.
Parkar, who was responding to a question asked by Jaidev's counsel Seema Sarnaik, added that he himself had accompanied Thackeray during the two election rallies in February 2012 at Bandra-Kurla Complex and Thane. Further, Parkar accompanied Thackeray at the Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park in Dadar in 2012 and even when he went to meet the late cartoonist RK Laxman in Pune.
"Whenever Thackeray went outside Matoshree, he was accompanied by trained medical staff from Lilavati hospital. I accompanied him whenever he asked me to and if I did not have prior commitments," Parkar said.
Sarnaik asked whether Thackeray was "severely ill" since 2007, when Parkar took over as his doctor.
Parkar replied: "I do not think 'severely ill' is the right term. I would say he had a chronic illness."
On a query, Parkar said Thackeray used to have approximately three glasses of wine in a day. The note for same was made in his daily health chart.
Apart from the will, which is in dispute, Parkar had signed an earlier will of Thackeray as an attesting witness. He and advocate D'Souza were attesting witnesses of the will of January 2011.
On questioning, he said Thackeray had called him on December 13, 2011, to sign the will, which is in dispute, saying he had made corrections to the earlier one.
Justice Gautam Patel will continue to hear the matter on Wednesday.
What's the case?
Bal Thackeray, who passed away on November 17, 2012, left a majority of his estate to Uddhav, cutting Jaidev out completely. The latter has challenged the probate petition, a court process by which a will is proved valid or invalid, filed by Uddhav, alleging that Balasaheb was not in sound mind while signing the will.
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