SRTT tells charity commissioner its order ‘tied hands’ on Mehli reply

Mumbai: Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) on Thursday told the Maharashtra charity office that it is unable to respond to allegations raised by former trustee Mehli Mistry because of an existing order from the commission.

A counsel for the Trust told Prashant Panditrao Chavan, the assistant charity commissioner, that its “hands were tied” because the 15 May order barred its board from holding meetings. The order will remain in force until the commission’s inspector submits an inquiry report. If SRTT files a reply, it will be considered a violation of the previous order, the counsel said.

After hearing both sides, the assistant commissioner did not rule in favour of the Trust’s plea for an adjournment. The Trust had requested another date of hearing, stating things might get better on the commissioner’s order, allowing them to reply after the board meeting.

Mistry had alleged irregularities in the administration of SRTT, including the handling of trustees’ financial interests and decisions taken by the trust.

The board paralysis at SRTT has had wider consequences - it cannot vote at the Tata Sons AGM nor nominate a joint member for the Tata Sons chairman selection committee.

Separately, the commissioner’s office also heard related disputes on Thursday before a different assistant commissioner, concerning pleas made against Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) and Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution.

In three rejoinders, Mistry has raised questions about the administration and functioning of these trusts. Citing Section 30A(1) of the Maharashtra Public Trust Act, 1950, which states that when a trustee’s tenure expires, they shall cease to perform functions and discharge duties as a trustee, Mehli raised questions about how Venu Srinivasan voted against his reappointment on 28 October 2025, despite his own tenure having ended on 23 October 2025.

“His (Venu Srinivasan) tenure expired on 23 October 2025. He was not reappointed until 12 November 2025…. When Mr Srinivasan cast his vote on 28 October 2025, he performed precisely the function that Section 30A(1) expressly prohibited from performing,” stated the rejoinder seen by Mint.

In one of the three rejoinders, Mistry also alleged issues with the constitution of Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution. He questioned the citizenship of Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata, who holds Irish citizenship and a United Arab Emirates (UAE) Golden Visa. Mehli cited clauses 6 and 18 of the trust deed, dated 7 December 1923. According to Mistry, the provisions require a trustee to practise the Zoroastrian faith, as well as to be a “permanent resident of some place in the Bombay Presidency or Navsari”.

“It is well within the scope of the inquiry into this change report to examine whether each trustee, and in particular the reporting trustee, satisfies the requirement of the Trust Deed including being a Parsi practising Zoroastrian faith,” the rejoinder mentioned.

He also sought an affidavit from Noel Tata regarding his eligibility. “... an affidavit must be submitted by the reporting trustee to clarify whether he is a tax resident of India… must also clarify that at the time of his appointment as a trustee of a trust whether he was an Indian citizen or an Irish citizen and the reason for the change in citizenship from Indian to Irish,” the rejoinder said.

Tata Trusts, however, maintained that the eligibility restrictions are inconsistent with the original will and codicil and are unenforceable. The Trusts relied on a legal opinion dated March 2000, attributed to former Chief Justice of India MH Kania, to support their position.

Mistry also sought an inquiry into the benefits trustees receive through their positions on Tata Group company boards, along with declarations of interest, related-party matters and alleged departures from Trust resolutions.

He flagged a transaction and claimed that Noel Tata received about ₹1.42 crore in annual commission from Tata Sons in FY25. He also questioned the engagement of former Jaguar Land Rover executive Gerry McGovern for Norton Motorcycles owned by TVS Motor Corp. and an equity infusion into Tata International.

The commissioner’s office has fixed 3 December as the next date to hear all matters.

Yash Tiwari is a Mumbai-based journalist who reports on corporate and regulatory developments, with a focus on court-driven policy shifts and the intersection of law and public policy. He has been in the profession for two years. Before joining Mint, he worked at NDTV Profit as an assistant producer on the TV desk while also reporting, gaining experience across television and print journalism and combining reporting with production expertise.<br><br> Born in Kolkata, a city he remains deeply connected to, Yash has a keen interest in the technicalities of Indian law and aims to decode complex legal developments in a clear and accessible manner for readers. He is a graduate of the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, where he completed his postgraduate diploma in journalism.<br><br> He closely follows politics and government policies, and has covered several state elections as a freelance journalist. His work is driven by the idea of making law less intimidating and more understandable for the general public.<br><br> When not at work, Yash can be found playing cricket, revisiting classic matches, or engaging in conversations about the evolving landscape of law and policy in India.

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