Bombay High Court to record Jaidev Thackeray testimony

The Bombay high court on Monday will record the testimony of Jaidev Thackeray, the estranged son of late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray.

Jaidev’s brother and current Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s lawyer will cross examine the former in a suit filed by him against will of his father.

On June 20, Justice Gautam Patel said that the court proceedings in respect to the suit would be held regular basis from July 18.

Uddhav had filed the probate petition in the high court to certify his father’s will. However, Jaidev, who hasn’t been bequeathed anything, had challenged this will in the high court.

The high court then turned the probate petition into a testamentary suit and started the hearing. Initially, the high court refused to give any relief to Jaidev, who demanded a stay on selling and disposing the property pending the petition.

Uddhav, who took over party president after his father’s death, is one of the beneficiaries in the will. The properties left behind by Bal Thackeray are worth Rs 14.85 crore and include his Bungalow Matoshri at Bandra.

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

Bal Thackeray’s will bequeathed the first floor of the bungalow to grandson, Aishwarya, the son of Jaidev and his divorced wife Smita.

The second floor has been given to Uddhav and his sons Aditya and Tejas, while the ground floor has been given exclusively to the former.