Thackeray's will case: High Court to fix date of trial in next week

Mumbai, Nov 3: The Bombay High Court would decide on November 10 the date for commencement of trial on a petition filed by Jaidev Thackeray, the estranged son of late Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray, challenging his will.

The case came up before Justice Gautam Patel on Nov 3.

Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has filed `a probate petition' in the HC to get his father's will certified. Jaidev, who does not get any property under the will, has opposed the probate and questioned the validity of the will, saying that his father could not have left him out of his will.

The court has turned the probate proceedings into a `testamentary suit'.

The High Court had earlier refused to grant interim relief to Jaidev who had sought to restrain the beneficiaries of the will from selling or disposing of the properties.

Uddhav, who took over as Shiv Sena president after his father's death in November 2012, is one of the beneficiaries. The properties left behind by Thackeray are worth Rs 14.85 crore and include his iconic bungalow in suburban Bandra, `Matoshri'.

Jaidev has also alleged that Uddhav, being the leader of a political party, would use his influence to get the will executed. He also says that his father's properties were worth much more than what is stated in the probate petition and `Matoshri' itself is worth Rs 40 crore.

The will bequeaths the first floor of Thackeray bungalow to his grandson Aishvarya -- the son of Jaidev and his divorced wife Smita. The second floor has been bequeathed to Uddhav and his sons Aditya and Tejas.

The ground and third floors have been given exclusively to Uddhav. Dr Jalil Parkar, Bal Thackeray's personal physician, is the witness in whose presence he signed the will.

PTI