The Bombay Bar Association (BBA) on Monday passed a resolution condemning a series of threats, intimidation and violent attacks targeting Bombay High Court’s retired judge Justice Gautam Patel and his family over the judge's 2024 verdict on the
Dawoodi Bohra community's leadership.
In a resolution dated June 8, 2026, BBA cited reports that a member of Justice Patel's family had suffered physical injury in one such incident made the matter particularly disturbing and warranted serious attention of the authorities.
“Violence or threats of violence against judges or their families strike at the very heart of judicial independence and constitute a blatant assault on the rule of law. Such conduct is not merely an attack upon an individual Judge; it is an attack upon the institution of the judiciary and the constitutional promise that disputes will be resolved by courts free from fear, favour, affection or ill-will,” the resolution states.
It emphasised that in a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law, judicial decisions may be questioned only through lawful means, including appellate remedies.
“Resort to threats, intimidation, coercion or violence against judges or their families has no place in a civilised society and cannot be tolerated,” the resolution said.
The BBA urged the authorities to conduct a prompt, thorough and effective probe, identify and prosecute all those responsible, and to take “all necessary measures” to safeguard judges and their families from intimidation and violence.
It also called upon the Ministry of External Affairs to take up the matter with UK authorities to ensure the safety of Justice Patel’s family.
Justice Patel's daughter was attacked in London by an unidentified masked individual. She sustained a fractured nose. The former judge termed it “an assault on the judiciary,” adding that those behind it were questioning the integrity of the system.
“This is an assault on the judiciary. They are questioning the integrity of the system. Because this is about a case. The appeal is pending. If such things happen,” the judge said.
The case in question is the deeply contested
succession dispute within the Dawoodi Bohra community that happened post the demise of their ‘Syedna’ (community leader) Mohammad Burhanuddin, the 52nd leader.
After his demise, his son Mufaddal Saifuddin took over as the 53rd leader. This was disputed by Khuzaima Qutbuddin, half-brother of the deceased Syedna. When the dispute could not be resolved, it reached the High Court in 2014.
The trial went on for 9 years until on April 23, 2024, Justice Patel held that Mufaddal Saifuddin, the 53rd Dai and incumbent leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community, is the rightful leader of the community.
This verdict is presently under challenge before a division bench of the High Court.
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