IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
R.D. DHANUKA, J.
Pooja Deepak Patil - Appellant
Versus
Savita Vasant Rao Patil - Respondent
Miscellaneous Petition No. 33 of 2017, Testamentary Petition No. 294 of 2012
Decided On : 23-10-2018
Low intelligence quotient - Hearing of Testamentary Petition - Grant of probate - Custody - Claim for alimony - Estate of deceased - Dissolution of marriage - prejudicially affected - Divorce of parents - Section 263 - Indian Succession Act, 1925 - By this petition filed under S 263 of Act, 1925, petitioner has prayed for revocation andor for annulment of grant of probate passed by this Court in Testamentary Petition in favor of respondent no1 and also seeks recall of order passed by this Court in said Testamentary Petition - Some of relevant facts for purpose of deciding this petition are as under: - Petitioner is daughter of late Mr - Deepak Patil - Said deceased Mr - Deepak Patil was married to Mrs - Jyoti Patil - Petitioner was born out of said wedlock - Due to marital discord, a customary divorce was obtained by said deceased Mr - Deepak and Mrs - Jyoti Patil in presence of Bhorgaon Leva Panchaya - Case of petitioner that due to ill effects of familial discord and tensed atmosphere caused by divorce of parents of petitioner, prejudicially affected her academic life - She was weak and lagged behind in her academic pursuits - It was discovered that petitioner had a low intelligence quotient (IQ) - Petitioner was a slow learner and was advised to attend a special school - Petitioner was thus enrolled in School of Slow Learners to pursue her studies - It is case of petitioner that after dissolution of marriage of said deceased Deepak and Jyoti - Mrs Jyoti relinquished all her rights in estate of deceased and did not make any claim and/or for alimony and/or maintenance –Held- Court therefore pass following order :-Miscellaneous Petition No - 33 of 2017 is allowed in terms of prayer clauses (a) and [a(i)] - Respondents are directed to return grant of probate obtained by respondent no 1 pursuant to order passed by this Court to office of Prothonotary and Senior Master within one week from today without fail and shall not act upon aid grant of probate in any manner whatsoever - Hearing of Testamentary Petition is expedited - Learned counsel for respondents seeks stay of order and judgment rendered by this Court today - In so far as payment of costs of Rs - 1 lakh is concerned, respondent no1 is granted four weeks time instead of two weeks - Prayer for stay in respect of rest of directions issued by this Court is rejected – Petition is allowed
R.D. DHANUKA, J.
1. By this petition filed under Section 263 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925, the petitioner has prayed for revocation and/or for annulment of the grant of probate dated 14th March 2014 passed by this Court in Testamentary Petition No.294 of 2012 in favour of the respondent no.1 and also seeks recall of the order dated 7th August 2013 passed by this Court in the said Testamentary Petition No.294 of 2012. Some of the relevant facts for the purpose of deciding this petition are as under : -
2. The petitioner is the daughter of late Mr. Deepak Vasantrao Patil. The said deceased Mr.Deepak Vasantrao Patil was married to Mrs. Jyoti Patil on 12th May 1985. On 19th May 1986, the petitioner was born out of the said wedlock. Due to marital discord, a customary divorce was obtained by the said deceased Mr.Deepak Patil and Mrs.Jyoti Patil on 8th August 2002 in presence of Bhorgaon Leva Panchayat.
3. It is the case of the respondents that the said Mr.Deepak V. Patil had expired on 26th May 2011 and had left his last Will and Testament dated 8th August 2009 allegedly executed at Savada, Jalgaon.
It is also the case of the respondents that the said deceased Mr.Deepak Patil had appointed the respondent no.1 as executrix under the said last Will and Testament dated 8th August 2009. The said respondent no.1 is the sister of the said deceased Mr.Deepak V. Patil and alleged to have been appointed as the main trustee under the said Will. The petitioner is the only heir and legal representative of the said deceased Mr.Deepak V. Patil.
4. It is the case of the petitioner that after demise of the deceased Mr.Deepak V. Patil, the petitioner lived with the respondent no.1 at their family house i.e. 18A, Ravindra Mansion, Dinshaw Vachha Road, Churchgate for about four months.
5. It is the case of the petitioner that due to the ill effects of familial discord and tensed atmosphere caused by the divorce of the parents of the petitioner, it took a toll on the petitioner and prejudicially affected her academic life. She was weak and lagged behind in her academic pursuits. Pursuant to extensive consultation with teachers and thereafter doctors, it was discovered that the petitioner had a low intelligence quotient (IQ). The petitioner was a slow learner and was advised to attend a special school. The petitioner was thus enrolled in Vidyajyoti School of Slow Learners to pursue her studies in the said school. It is the case of the petitioner that after dissolution of the marriage of the said deceased Mr.Deepak V. Patil and Mrs.Jyoti Patil, the said Mrs.Jyoti Patil relinquished all her rights in the estate of the deceased and did not make any claim and/or for alimony and/or maintenance.
6. The father of the petitioner was granted custody of the petitioner by mutual consent of the said deceased and the mother of the petitioner. It is the case of the petitioner that she had always resided with the deceased in Savada, Taluka Raver, District Jalgoan. The mother of the petitioner however was in constant touch with the petitioner and ensured the progress of petitioner as well as the well being of the petitioner. The mother of the petitioner and the petitioner shared a close bond as they used to travel together including a trip to Singapore in or about 2006.
7. The mother of the petitioner thereafter filed a Mental Health Petition in the City Civil Court at Bombay inter alia seeking custody of the petitioner. During the proceedings before the City Civil Court, the petitioner expressed her desire to live with her mother in Pune. The petitioner thereafter shifted her residence to the house of her mother in Pune and continues to live there till today. In the said proceedings filed by the mother of the petitioner before the City Civil Court, the City Civil Court directed that an IQ test be conducted on the petitioner by the JJ Hospital.
8. On 26th March 2012, after conducting the IQ test on the petitioner by the JJ Hospital, the said Grant Medical Colle
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