Former Bombay High Court judge Gautam Patel speaks on threats and attack linked to Dawoodi Bohra verdict

Justice Gautam Patel, who retired from the Bombay High Court in April 2024, has said his family will not be intimidated by a transnational criminal campaign linked to a landmark judgment he delivered on the Dawoodi Bohra succession dispute.

In his final months on the bench, Justice Patel ruled in favour of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin as the community's rightful spiritual head. Since then, he and his family have faced threats and harassment from an anonymous syndicate. The group has demanded that the retired judge leave India and record a YouTube video retracting his judgment.

The campaign escalated on April 22, when Justice Patel's daughter, Aditi, was assaulted outside her home in a London suburb. In an interview with The Indian Express, the judge detailed the family's ordeal and their resolve to resist.

Justice Patel said he has returned to Mumbai despite doubts about his safety. 'We have to get on with our lives. We are taking the necessary precautions and being careful. But we are absolutely not going to allow them to alter the tempo or tenor of our lives or to dictate to us what we can and can't do,' he said.

Regarding the demand to recant his judgment, Justice Patel called it illegal and unprecedented. 'It is something unknown to law. It's entirely outside the realm of law. In fact, the demand is to commit an illegality. I'm essentially being asked to fabricate a statement, which I refuse to do,' he said.

He noted that the appeal court will decide on the correctness of his verdict. 'Whatever has to be argued has to be argued in appeal,' he added.

The judge criticised the attackers for targeting his daughter, who was not involved in the case. 'That's the level of cowardice... because a year and a half on, nobody dares attack me. Instead, they go after my children,' he said.

On cross-border coordination between Mumbai police and the UK's Hertfordshire Constabulary, Justice Patel said the agencies have been cooperative. 'None of them has been obstructive. All of them have been receptive, courteous and very cooperative,' he said.

Justice Patel reiterated his family's defiance: 'We will continue, and we will not succumb to these threats. The family and I are completely together on this.'