Former Tata Trusts trustee Mehli Mistry is considering approaching the Bombay High Court over repeated delays in hearings concerning alleged governance lapses and trustee misconduct at three Tata charitable trusts, according to people familiar with the matter, Financial Express reported. Mistry has filed complaints before the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner involving Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT), Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) and Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution (BHJTNCI). He resigned from other Tata trusts last year but continues as a lifetime trustee of Tata Education and Development Trust.
May Challenge Repeated Adjournments
According to people close to Mistry, he could formally object if the hearings scheduled for Oct 15 are postponed again. He may also seek an order maintaining the status quo on trustee appointments across the three trusts as of Sept 1, 2025. His complaints, first submitted in April, have faced repeated adjournments following requests from the trusts or administrative difficulties. Mistry has questioned why complaints involving trustees whose conduct he challenged have reportedly received earlier consideration. His concerns follow action on a complaint by Tata Trusts Vice-Chairman Venu Srinivasan, after which the Charity Commissioner reportedly barred SRTT from holding board meetings. Srinivasan and fellow Vice-Chairman Vijay Singh subsequently raised separate governance concerns involving SDTT, including alleged irregularities in trustee appointments.
Complaints Face Procedural Delays
The previous hearings, scheduled for Sept 8, were postponed for different reasons. Proceedings could not continue because the presiding officer was absent. In the SRTT case, lawyers requested additional time, citing Vijay Singh’s retirement from the trust and the need to replace him as reporting trustee under applicable regulations. Although the extension was granted, Mistry’s lawyer formally objected, arguing that sufficient opportunities to respond had already been provided. Mistry maintained that further delays were unjustified. He has also clarified that his complaints seek to highlight alleged irregularities observed during his tenure rather than secure reinstatement to trust boards. People familiar with the developments said legal proceedings before the Bombay High Court remain an option if the matter continues unresolved.
