‘Bal Thackeray executed 8-9 wills between 1997 and 2011'
The witness Flanian D’Souza, a lawyer by profession, had attested Thackeray’s last will. He deposed on Thursday before the high court in the testamentary suit filed by Thackeray’s son, Uddhav.
The late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray had executed eight or nine wills between 1997 and 2011, a witness told the Bombay high court on Thursday.
The witness Flanian D’Souza, a lawyer by profession, had attested Thackeray’s last will. He deposed on Thursday before the high court in the testamentary suit filed by Thackeray’s son, Uddhav.
D’Souza told justice Gautam Patel that Bal Thackeray had executed the eight or nine wills after 1997 when he started visiting the late Shiv Sena chief at Matoshree along with his senior, advocate Jerome Saldhana. Thackeray executed his last will in December 2011.
The revelation came on a query during the course of D’Souza’s deposition. During course of the testimony, the lawyer said several meetings took place between his senior and Thackeray where his senior took down notes.
Justice Patel then sought to know if the notes taken down by Saldhana were still available. To which the lawyer replied saying the notes and even drafts have been destroyed because Thackeray wanted everything to be discreet and had specifically instructed them not to keep any notes or drafts with them.
D’Souza also said advocate Saldhana did not know Thackeray. He was introduced to the late Shivsena supremo by a common friend, a realtor. Thackeray had told the realtor he want to do it (execute the will) discreetly and therefore sought “not a big name.”
The testimony of the lawyer will continue on December 10.