Gardner Leader has successfully defended a High Court claim brought by international businessman, chartered accountant and FOSFA arbitrator Girish Patel against his New York based brother and doctor, Yashwant Patel. Girish remains in dispute with Yashwant, his other brothers and the wider Patel family over substantial global business assets worth up to $US200m. Proceedings continue in Seychelles, Cayman and Malaysia.
After a 6 day trial in London, Deputy Judge Andrew Simmonds QC dismissed the claim brought by Girish, who falsely sought to rely on a will he alleged his mother had executed in June 2005 leaving all her assets to Girish. The Deputy Judge found for our client Yashwant, the executor under his mother’s true will executed in 1986. That will had appointed Yashwant as their mother’s sole executor and beneficiary.
The Deputy Judge found that Girish forged the 2005 Will. He branded Girish “a self-confessed liar” who (along with other witnesses) had “lied brazenly to the court”.
In addition to finding Girish’s claim implausible when looked against the documentary record and witness evidence, the court was assisted by forensic evidence from a UK handwriting expert and US ink-testing expert.
Gardner Leader also secured an order for indemnity costs against Girish.
Read full judgement click here
Related People Eleanor Thomas, Christopher Felton
Counsel: Alexander Learmonth
Related Press: The Times, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, India, Ham&High