MUMBAI: After the Maharashtra govt told the Bombay high court on Monday that it was providing security to Justice (retired) Gautam Patel in the wake of the reported dire threats he faced since last Sept over his April 2024 judgment in the succession battle for the spiritual head of the Dawoodi Bohra community, the HC asked the govt to ensure the protection is round the clock.The security should be present at Justice Patel’s Mumbai home even when no one is home, said the acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge-led bench while hearing a PIL seeking a court- supervised probe and protection for the former judge and his family.ACJ Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad also sought the Mumbai police commissioner’s “personal attention” for a probe in the matter and sought a status report on the next date in July.Senior counsel Niteen Thakker for Bombay Bar Association (BBA) informed the HC that as reported in the news, Justice Patel has lodged a complaint with Gamdevi police station and the police may be directed to conduct a thorough probe. The BBA, along with Advocates Association of Western India (AAWI) and Bombay Incorporated Law Society, had filed the PIL last week, seeking an HC-supervised probe by a special investigation team (SIT) into the threats which Thakker and senior counsel Dinyar Madon along with advocate Nilesh Modi said were in effect a threat to the independence of the judiciary. Thakker said the threats raised a larger issue of independence of judiciary. He also said the threats in essence were also targeted at the bench, which is to hear the pending appeal in the Syedna succession matter.Shishir Hiray, public prosecutor for the state, said it was giving Justice (retd) Patel two police officers for security and, expressing concern, also sought time to come out with a solution. Madon submitted that one security detail be posted at all times at the retired judge’s residence even when empty, after ACJ Ghuge said one security detail must accompany Justice Patel or his kin when they leave home too.The HC observed that following the brutal April 22, 2026 attack on Justice Patel’s daughter in the UK, where she resides, the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant himself, while he was in London, intervened and ensured protection is provided to the kin. Acting CJ Ghuge orally said, “We are fortunate to be led by such an able CJI.”The HC also wants from the Centre a status report on protection provided in the UK pursuant to the CJI’s intervention.The senior advocates for the bar association submitted that Justice Patel had before his retirement on April 25, 2024 “devoted valuable years first as a lawyer in Mumbai then as HC judge.” They said, “If a judge of this court (HC) is threatened for his work, it could be a threat for judiciary.”“We would approve if the Mumbai police commissioner personally monitors the investigation,” said the HC and posted the matter to July 2 for further hearing.Advocate Dhruti Kapadia appeared for Centre and HC asked the Centre for report that would indicate steps taken by UK police.
