Justice GS Patel, a retired judge from the Bombay High Court, along with his family, has reportedly been the target of an ongoing campaign of intimidation and violence. This threat stems from his 2024 ruling on the leadership dispute within the Dawoodi Bohra community.
Violence and Threats Across Borders
Reports from the Hindustan Times indicate that Justice Patel’s daughter was recently attacked in London by an unknown assailant, resulting in a fractured nose. This incident follows a series of threatening letters received by the family, both in India and the UK.
Controversial Verdict
Justice Patel’s ruling on April 23, 2024, declared Mufaddal Saifuddin as the lawful leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community. The decision dismissed a lawsuit filed by Taher Fakhruddin, who challenged Saifuddin’s leadership, but failed to provide sufficient evidence of his appointment as Syedna, the community leader. This judgment is currently under appeal before a division bench of the High Court.
Escalating Threats
Over the past ten months, the family has received numerous threats. The most recent incident, on June 5, involved an anonymous letter to Justice Patel’s daughter in London, forewarning of increased violence and claiming a ‘contract’ against the family. The letter, bearing a German postmark and a fictitious London return address, contained a digital storage device, now with the Hertfordshire Police. Due to security concerns, the family has not accessed the device.
Demands for Retraction
The anonymous communications demand that Justice Patel retract his judgment via a public YouTube video, with instructions to disseminate this retraction to legal bodies and the media. Justice Patel has informed key officials, including the Chief Justice of India, the Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, and the Indian High Commission in London, about these threats.
Ongoing Investigations
The threats began in August 2025, with letters sent to Justice Patel’s residence in Mumbai and his daughter’s address in London. One letter claimed responsibility for a burglary at her home. On April 22 of this year, she was physically assaulted on a London street. UK counter-terrorism authorities are now investigating, while a non-cognizable complaint was previously filed in Mumbai.
Background of the Dispute
The dispute within the Dawoodi Bohra community arose after the death of the 52nd Syedna, Mohammad Burhanuddin. Following his passing, his son, Mufaddal Saifuddin, assumed leadership, but this was contested by Khuzaima Qutbuddin, the deceased Syedna’s half-brother, who claimed he was the rightful leader based on a concealed ‘nass’ (succession conferment) from the late leader.
Unable to resolve the dispute, Qutbuddin filed a lawsuit on March 29, 2014, seeking recognition as the 53rd Dai. After Qutbuddin’s death in 2016, his son, Taher Fakhruddin, continued the legal battle until the case was dismissed in 2024 after a lengthy nine-year trial.
