A retired Bombay High Court judge and his family have allegedly faced months of threats and intimidation following a landmark ruling in the high-profile Dawoodi Bohra succession dispute. Justice Gautam S Patel, who retired from the Bombay High Court, and his family have reportedly received threatening letters in both India and the United Kingdom over the past 10 months. The matter has now drawn serious attention after his daughter was physically attacked in London earlier this year.
Fresh death threat sent to judge’s daughter
The latest incident came on June 5, when Justice Patel's daughter, Aditi Patel, received an anonymous letter threatening to kill members of the family. According to reports, the letter claimed that a "contract" had been issued against the family. An SD card was also enclosed with the letter.
Concerned about its contents and possible security risks, the family chose not to access the SD card and instead handed it over to police for investigation.
Daughter attacked in London
The threats escalated into violence in April 2026 when Aditi Patel was allegedly attacked by a masked individual in London. Reports said the assault left her with a fractured nose. British police and counter-terrorism authorities are now investigating the incident and examining whether it is linked to the threats received by the family.
Authorities have not yet publicly identified any suspects.
The family has reportedly been receiving threatening communications since last year. Justice Patel is said to have received a threatening letter in Mumbai in September 2025, while additional threats were reported in London in recent months.
The Dawoodi Bohra succession case
The controversy dates back to April 23, 2024, when Justice Gautam Patel delivered a significant judgment in a long-running succession battle within the Dawoodi Bohra community. In his ruling, Justice Patel recognised Mufaddal Saifuddin as the legitimate 53rd Dai al-Mutlaq, the spiritual head of the Dawoodi Bohra community.
The court dismissed the claim of Taher Fakhruddin, who had challenged Saifuddin's position and sought recognition as the rightful successor. Although the single-judge verdict was seen as a major development in the succession dispute, the legal battle is not yet over.
The decision has been challenged before a division bench of the Bombay High Court, where proceedings related to the matter remain pending.
