A storm of concern gripped the legal fraternity on Monday after a retired judge of the Bombay High Court (HC), Gautam Patel and his family alleged they had repeatedly been receiving a series of threatening letters linked to the former’s landmark verdict dating back to 2024 in the long-running Dawoodi Bohra succession dispute.

On Monday, the Bombay Bar Association passed a resolution, condemning the alleged intimidation campaign and pleaded with authorities to take stringent as well as swift action against the ones responsible. Moreover, the association also expressed solidarity with Justice Patel and his family, underlining that attacks on judges over judicial decisions strike at the heart of the rule of law.

Justice Patel had declared Saifuddin as 53rd leader of Dawoodi Bohra community

Justice Patel, who retired from the Bombay HC in April 2024, had delivered a significant ruling, recognising Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin as the 53rd Dai-al-Mutlaq, the spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community. The single bench of the HC held that Saifuddin’s appointment, known as nas, was valid.

People close to former Justice Patel said they have been receiving threatening communications over the past ten months, with his daughter receiving the latest such letter in London on June 5, 2026.

What are the demands raised in the letters?

As per reports, demands for Justice Patel to publicly retract his judgment by recording and uploading a video on YouTube, claiming that the verdict had been delivered under pressure and coercion have been raised in the letters. One of the letters issued earlier warned that a ‘capable and dangerous syndicate’ had been engaged, while a subsequent communication was made to both the justice and his family, which carried a chilling threat.

Notably, the latest letter, bearing a German postal mark, allegedly warned of violence and claimed that a contract for killing the family of the justice had been issued. The package also contained a digital storage device, which has since been handed over to the police in London for a probe.

Concerns voiced over judicial independence

Justice Patel broke his silence over the incident and emphasised that threats directed at judges for decisions delivered during their tenure raise broader concerns about judicial independence and the administration of justice.

He noted that judges decide hundreds of cases throughout their careers and must be able to discharge their duties without fearing retaliation after retirement. He added that intimidation of former judges could undermine confidence in the justice delivery system and can also discourage fearless decision-making.

Furthermore, he voiced disappointment over the response from Indian authorities in the United Kingdom (UK). He reflected on an attack launched on his daughter earlier this year, saying he had been informed that assistance was limited because she is a British national. He further said that he had recently approached the Indian High Commission after receiving the latest threat but had not received a response yet.

What is the Bohra case about?

The case dates back to 2014 when Khuzaima Qutbuddin challenged Saifuddin’s succession following the death of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, the 52nd Dai al-Mutlaq. However, Qutbuddin passed away in 2016, and his son, Taher Fakhruddin continued pursuing the legal recourse.

In his verdict, Justice Patel concluded that Fakhruddin had failed to establish that his father had been granted nas by the 52nd Dai. The verdict was later challenged before a division bench of the Bombay HC and is currently pending.