Bombay HC Ex-Judge Gautam Patel Faces Threats Over 2024 Dawoodi Bohra Succession Verdict

Former Bombay High Court judge Justice Gautam Patel has alleged that he and his family have been subjected to a sustained campaign of threats and intimidation, including a physical attack on his daughter in the United Kingdom, over a significant judgment he delivered in the long-running Dawoodi Bohra succession dispute in 2024.

The incidents have reportedly continued for nearly ten months.

Justice Patel has said the threats began more than a year after he retired from the Bombay High Court. According to him, the first major incident occurred in August 2025 when there was an attempted break-in at his daughter’s residence in a London suburb. Shortly thereafter, the family allegedly received a threatening letter accusing him of delivering a “false” and “corrupt” judgment in the Dawoodi Bohra case and claiming that a “criminal syndicate” had been engaged against him.

Justice Patel said the communication demanded that he publicly retract his April 2024 judgment, leave India, and issue a video statement disowning the ruling. The threats allegedly warned that failure to comply would result in harm to him and his family. He said the demands also included making public statements before legal bodies and courts declaring that his decision had been incorrect.

The Dawoodi Bohra Succession Suit

The Dawoodi Bohra succession case was one of the most closely watched religious succession disputes in recent Indian legal history. In April 2024, Justice Patel dismissed a suit challenging the position of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin as the spiritual leader, or Dai-al-Mutlaq, of the Dawoodi Bohra community. The litigation arose after competing claims emerged following the death of Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin in 2014. The challenge was initially brought by Burhanuddin’s half-brother, Khuzaima Qutbuddin, and later pursued by Qutbuddin’s son, Syedna Taher Fakhruddin, who claimed a valid conferment of succession. Justice Patel ultimately ruled in favour of Saifuddin, concluding that the plaintiffs had failed to establish their claim.

Attacks on Family

The retired judge’s daughter, who is not connected with the legal profession, has also reportedly been targeted. According to the family, she was attacked in April this year while returning home after dropping her child at school in London. A masked assailant allegedly struck her repeatedly in the face, causing a fractured nose before fleeing when neighbours intervened. The family maintains that the attack was not random and has informed local police authorities in the UK.

Justice Patel said a second threatening letter was delivered to his daughter’s residence on June 5. The communication allegedly warned of further violence and referred to a “contract” that could be cancelled only if the family complied with earlier demands. The letter reportedly included a digital storage device, which the family chose not to access. Around the same time, Justice Patel’s wife received a similar envelope in Mumbai, prompting the family to alert police authorities in India as well.

The former judge stated that he lodged a complaint with the Mumbai Police in September 2025 and has since approached multiple authorities, including law enforcement agencies and the Indian High Commission in the UK. He expressed concern not only for the safety of his family but also for the broader implications such incidents could have on judicial independence. According to him, intimidation directed at judges after they have delivered decisions raises serious questions about the ability of courts to function free from fear or external pressure.

The matter has drawn a strong response from the legal fraternity. The Bombay Bar Association recently passed a resolution condemning the alleged threats and attacks, describing them as an assault on judicial independence and the rule of law. The association urged the Ministry of External Affairs to take up the issue with British authorities and sought a thorough investigation into the incidents. It stressed that judicial decisions can be challenged only through lawful legal processes and not through intimidation or violence.

Meanwhile, the office of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin has condemned the reported threats and attack on Justice Patel’s family. In a statement, it expressed shock over the developments and reiterated that the Dawoodi Bohra community is committed to peace, tolerance and respect for the rule of law. The office also stated that any attempt to intimidate members of the judiciary was unacceptable.

The developments have also reached the highest levels of the judiciary. Reports indicate that Chief Justice of India Surya Kant raised concerns regarding the threats with Indian diplomatic authorities in the UK and sought measures to ensure the safety of Justice Patel and his family. Authorities have reportedly assured that appropriate security arrangements are being put in place.

Source [ The Indian Express, TOI]