According to an interview given to Aaj Tak's sister channel India Today TV, retired Bombay High Court Judge Justice Gautam Patel has alleged that he and his family have been facing serious threats over his 2024 judgment in the Dawoodi Bohra succession dispute. He further claimed that his daughter was attacked outside her London residence earlier this year.

Retired Bombay High Court Judge Justice Gautam Patel has revealed that he and his family have been facing repeated threats allegedly linked to his landmark judgment in the Dawoodi Bohra succession dispute. The former judge has claimed that his daughter was physically assaulted in London earlier this year and that recent threat letters have warned of dire consequences, including threats to the lives of his family members.

Justice Patel, who retired from the Bombay High Court in 2024, had delivered a significant judgment in April 2024 upholding the position of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin as the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq, the spiritual head of the Dawoodi Bohra community. The judgment brought an end to a long-running succession dispute that had attracted national and international attention.

Daughter Attacked Outside London Home

Speaking about the threats, Justice Patel disclosed that the first threatening communications were received by his wife in Mumbai in September last year. Complaints were filed with the police, and security was provided to him. However, according to Justice Patel, no substantial action followed.

The situation escalated dramatically on April 22, 2026, when his daughter was allegedly attacked outside her residence in London. Justice Patel stated that a masked individual wearing a hood repeatedly punched her in the face, causing serious injuries, including a broken nose.

According to him, the assault occurred after months of threats connected to the Dawoodi Bohra inheritance litigation.

"Retract Your Judgment on YouTube"

Justice Patel revealed that the threatening communications contained an unusual and unprecedented demand. According to him, the persons issuing the threats wanted him to publicly retract his judicial decision through a YouTube video.

He described the demand as legally absurd, emphasizing that there is no concept in law that permits a judge to withdraw or retract a judicial verdict through a public video statement.

The former judge pointed out that an appeal against the judgment is already pending before the appropriate appellate forum and that any challenge to the decision must be decided through the judicial process rather than through intimidation or threats.

Threat Letters Mentioned Contract Killers

Justice Patel further alleged that the threatening letters claimed that a dangerous criminal gang had been hired to target him and his family. According to him, the latest communication stated that the gang had already been fully paid and that the threat could only be withdrawn if he complied with the demand to publicly renounce his judgment.

The former judge stated that the threats amounted to an apparent contract killing plot and suggested that the perpetrators claimed links to influential individuals within the community.

He maintained that regardless of which side of the litigation the persons belonged to, he and his family were the victims of a serious criminal conspiracy.

Authorities Accused of Inaction

Expressing frustration over the official response, Justice Patel alleged that different authorities have been shifting responsibility instead of taking decisive action.

He stated that despite writing detailed representations to relevant authorities, including officials connected with India's diplomatic mission in the United Kingdom, he had not received a satisfactory response.

Justice Patel questioned how an Indian citizen and former constitutional court judge could allegedly face such threats abroad without immediate intervention from concerned authorities.

Concerns for Judicial Independence

The retired judge warned that the incident raises serious concerns about the safety of judges and the independence of the judicial system.

According to him, if judges can be threatened years after delivering judgments and pressured to withdraw decisions through intimidation, it would undermine the rule of law and public confidence in the justice system.

Justice Patel stressed that a strong legal response is necessary to ensure that no individual can use threats or violence to challenge judicial decisions. He called for a thorough investigation, identification of those responsible, and strict punishment under the law.

Bombay Bar Association Condemns Threats

The Bombay Bar Association has reportedly passed a resolution condemning the repeated threats against Justice Patel and demanding strict legal action against those responsible.

The matter has triggered widespread concern within the legal fraternity, with many lawyers and former judges viewing the allegations as a serious attack on judicial independence and the administration of justice.

As investigations continue, the incident is likely to reignite discussions about the security of judges and former judges, both in India and abroad.