FIR filed against unknown sender of threat letter to retired Justice Patel

Investigation Launched into Threats Sent to Retired Justice Patel

FIR filed against unknown sender of threat – Retired Bombay High Court judge Gautam Patel has reported receiving a threatening letter from an unknown source, prompting authorities to file a First Information Report (FIR) against the sender. The letter demanded Patel publicly retract his 2024 landmark decision on the Dawoodi Bohra community’s succession dispute, which was delivered after Patel returned to Mumbai on Sunday and approached the Gamdevi police station.

A Historic Judgment and Its Aftermath

In 2024, Patel resolved a prolonged succession conflict within the Dawoodi Bohra community, affirming Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin as the rightful Dai-al-Mutlaq following the passing of his father, Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin, in 2014. This ruling was contested by Syedna Taher Fakhruddin, son of Khuzaima Qutbuddin.

“According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Ragasudja R, the sender threatened harm unless Justice Patel released a video recanting the verdict,” the police official stated.

The FIR was registered under Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, charging the individual with criminal intimidation. This comes after a series of threats and intimidation acts targeted Patel and his family, as first reported by HT last week.

Authorities revealed that an attempted break-in occurred at the family’s London residence in August 2025, followed by a threatening letter received on September 3, 2025. In April of this year, Patel’s daughter was allegedly assaulted in London after the family refused to comply with demands for a YouTube video retracting the judgment.

The threats were first documented in September 2024, when similar letters were sent to Patel’s wife in Mumbai and his daughter abroad. UK agencies are now examining the case as a potential terrorist incident. Meanwhile, the Bombay Bar Association has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) with the Bombay High Court, requesting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the threats, harassment, and violence against Patel and his family. The petition also calls for security measures for retired judges facing threats tied to their judicial work.