Tata Trusts has got more time to respond to objections filed by former trustee Mehli Mistry over his exit from three Tata trusts, with the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner adjourning the matter to October 15.
The hearing was adjourned on September 8 after lawyers representing Tata Trusts sought additional time to file their rejoinder. They cited, among other issues, the recent exit of Vijay Singh from the Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT), according to people familiar with the proceedings, as reported by Moneycontrol.
Mistry’s lawyer opposed the request for more time.
Singh’s term as a trustee of SRTT ended on August 14, and he did not seek reappointment. His departure has added another procedural issue that the Tata Trusts will have to address in their response to Mistry’s objections, people aware of the proceedings said.
The dispute relates to change reports filed with the Charity Commissioner to record Mistry’s cessation as a trustee of SRTT, Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) and Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution.
Mistry, who was a longtime Tata group insider and close associate of the late Ratan Tata, ceased to be a trustee after his tenure was not renewed. He has since challenged the changes and raised wider questions about governance, conflicts of interest and trustee appointments.
According to filings reviewed earlier by Moneycontrol, Mistry has raised allegations involving Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata, Vijay Singh and Venu Srinivasan. These include claims about the disclosure of income received by trustees from other Tata group companies and possible conflicts of interest.
Mistry has also questioned Srinivasan’s position in the Tata trusts while he is chairman emeritus of TVS Motor Company. He referred to the appointment of Gerry McGovern, then a senior Jaguar Land Rover executive, as a consultant for Norton Motorcycles, a TVS group company. Jaguar Land Rover is owned by Tata Motors.
These are allegations made by Mistry and have not been established by the Charity Commissioner. Tata Trusts has disputed the claims.
Mistry has also raised questions about trustee appointments, reappointments, remuneration and compliance with rules governing changes in trustee composition.
The matter is significant as SRTT and SDTT together hold 51.54% of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group. The wider Tata Trusts network owns around 66% of Tata Sons.
In a separate dispute involving the Bai Hirabai Trust, Mistry has questioned the eligibility of Singh and Srinivasan, citing restrictions in the trust’s 1923 deed. Tata Trusts has disputed this interpretation, saying non-Zoroastrians have served as trustees since 2000 based on legal advice from a former Chief Justice of India.
The Charity Commissioner is also separately examining SRTT’s affairs following complaints over its governance and board composition. The regulator has restricted the trust from holding board meetings while the inquiry is pending.
The next hearing in Mistry’s objections is scheduled for October 15, when Tata Trusts is expected to submit its response.