The Hertfordshire Constabulary has taken proactive measures to ensure the safety of former Bombay High Court Justice Gautam Patel’s family residing in the United Kingdom. This action follows a physical attack on a family member. In an official statement to Bar and Bench, the police confirmed that both the assault and the threats directed at Justice Patel and his family are subjects of an ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, they have implemented safeguarding protocols to protect the family.
The statement detailed that detectives from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Criminal Investigation Department are currently probing a series of interconnected incidents involving a family in South Hertfordshire. These incidents include an attempted burglary and threatening communications reported in August 2025, an assault in April 2026, and further threats reported in June 2026. The police have instituted safeguarding measures for the family as part of their inquiry.
While the investigation is active, the police have refrained from disclosing additional details at this time. These incidents follow the threats and violence directed at Justice Patel and his family after his April 2024 ruling in the Dawoodi Bohra community leadership case. During a trial that spanned nine years, Justice Patel ruled in favor of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin as the 53rd Dai and current leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community, dismissing the claim by challenger Taher Fakhruddin due to insufficient evidence of his appointment as Syedna.
The judgment is currently under appeal before a division bench of the Bombay High Court. However, Justice Patel’s daughter in the UK has been the recipient of multiple threatening letters, one of which ominously mentioned a “contract” against the family and included a digital storage device, now in the possession of Hertfordshire Police. She was reportedly confronted and assaulted by a masked assailant, resulting in a fractured nose.
The legal community in Mumbai has expressed grave concerns over these developments. On June 8, the Bombay Bar Association passed a resolution denouncing the threats and assaults on Justice Patel and his family, labeling such actions as a direct attack on judicial independence and the rule of law. The association has called for an immediate and comprehensive investigation and urged the Ministry of External Affairs to liaise with UK authorities to ensure the safety of Justice Patel’s family.
