Thackeray bros' legal fight ends

Mumbai: Jaidev Thackeray, the estranged son of late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, has withdrawn a petition he had filed years ago challenging his father’s will. His lawyer informed the court that he didn’t wish to pursue the case further, which the court has accepted.

The withdrawal of suit has put an end of the legal dispute between Jaidev Thackeray and the current Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. On Friday, Jaidev Thackeray filed an affidavit, before Justice Gautam Patel of the Bombay high court in which he stated that he wanted to close his suit opposing probate of the will in favour of Uddhav Thackeray and four other family members. He did not give any reason for withdrawing his suit.

The court accepted the affidavit and directed the HC registry to issue the probate of the will in favour of Uddhav Thackeray and four other family members mentioned in the will by November 26.

Uddhav Thackeray, in 2013, had moved the high court to execute his father’s will, which the late Sena leader made on December 13, 2011. Jaidev Thackeray had challenged the said will, alleging nothing had been left for him. The suit was filed after the veteran leader’s death in November 2012. Jaidev Thackeray disputed the will saying his father was of unsound mind when he made the will and he was under medication. It was also alleged that his brother had influenced him.

Besides Jaidev Thack-eray, the Sena patriarch had not left anything for his third son, Bindum-adhav Thackeray, who died in a road accident, or his family.

Bal Thackeray had beq-ueathed most of his property to Uddhav Tha-ckeray and his immediate family. As per the will, except for the first floor of the three-story Matoshree bungalow in suburban Bandra owned by Bal Thackeray, all his properties have been be-queathed to Uddhav Tha-ckeray and his immediate family members.

The first floor of the family bungalow was be-queathed to Aishvarya, Jaidev Thackeray’s son, and his now-ex-wife Smita.