Bal Thackeray’s estranged son Jaidev claimed the Sena supremo had promised to include him in the will just a year before his death, while levelling several allegations against his brother Uddhav

The Thackeray inheritance row intensified yesterday as Jaidev Thackeray took the stand yesterday in the legal battle with his younger brother and Shiv Sena chief, Uddhav Thackeray over the will of their late father, Bal Thackeray.

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Jaidev Thackeray arrives for the first day of his court testimony. Pic/Datta Kumbhar

On the very first day of his testimony, Jaidev fielded some difficult questions about his father’s will and the relationship between the two of them. Some of the questions he refused to answer, claiming it was a family matter and he didn’t want to discuss it in open court. Family or not, it didn’t stop him from making allegations against Uddhav, who he claimed had influenced their father to cut him out of the will. Jaidev also alleged that Uddhav had made Balasaheb sign several documents without explaining what those papers were for.

Jaidev came to court in a wheelchair and was wearing a cervical collar belt. He was accompanied by his third wife Anuradha and daughter Madhuri, along with his counsel Seema Sarnaik. Senior Counsel Rohit Kapadia, who is appearing for Uddhav Thackeray, put as many as 58 questions to Jaidev. Meanwhile, Justice Gautam Patel took note of Jaidev’s responses. There was also an interpreter to translate the questions from English to Marathi for Jaidev.

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In his affidavit, Jaidev had claimed that Balasaheb had never meant to exclude him from the will. When Uddhav’s counsel asked Jaidev why he never mentioned this to his brother, he replied, “I never discussed things with Uddhav because father had asked me to not to, as that could have created a rift between us.”

Jaidev was also questioned about his allegation that Uddhav had taken signatures of Balasaheb without telling him what it was for. Jaidev told the court that Balasaheb himself had told him this in January 2011. Months later, in October 2011, Balasaheb had also assured Jaidev that he was included in the will.

Jaidev found out that he had been cut out of the will through news reports in December 2012. Ever since he had filed a petition challenging the will in 2013, he and his brother have not spoken. “I made attempts to speak to Uddhav via phone and messages, but he never reverted. From my side, the relationship is cordial,” Jaidev said in court.

Moved out of Matoshree

Kapadia also asked Jaidev why he had never shifted back to Matoshree, the family bungalow in Bandra, from where he moved out in 1995. He was also asked about his ex-wife Smita, who continued to stay at Matoshree till 2003. Jaidev added that after Smita moved out of the bungalow, he asked Balasaheb whether he could move back in, but got no answer. He said he could not discuss this issue in detail as it was related to a family incident that he could not discuss in court. He was further questioned about flats owned by him in Kalanagar and Dadar, both of which he said he had bought with his own money.

Also Read: Only Uddhav among heirs was present when Bal Thackeray made will: Witness to HC

Jaidev told the court he has eight witnesses to support his claim that when the will was made in 2011, Balasaheb was of unsound mind and might have been influenced by Uddhav. Uddhav has presented witnesses like Balasaheb’s family doctor Dr Jalil Parkar, F D’souza (the lawyer who drafted the will) and senior Sena leader Anil Parab.