Aaditee Deodatta Jog vs Ravindra Gangadhar Jog… — Succession and Inheritance | Bombay HC (2026)

Aaditee Deodatta Jog vs Ravindra Gangadhar Jog… — Succession and Inheritance | Bombay HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Letters of Administration granted to petitioner Aaditee Deodatta Jog for the properties left by the deceased Ravindra Gangadhar Jog and shown in the schedule, in the prescribed format, having effect throughout the State of Maharashtra, under the Indian Succession Act, 1925; petitioner to file account as per oath within the stipulated period; office to verify no cross-petition or caveat before issuance of the grant.

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner, Aaditee Deodatta Jog, niece of the deceased Ravindra Gangadhar Jog, is entitled to be granted Letters of Administration under the Indian Succession Act, 1925 for the properties left by the deceased.

Court's answer

As no one appeared to resist the petitioner's claim and nothing was brought to notice regarding pending litigation about the same properties, the petition was treated as an uncontested one.

Ratio / Principle

Facts stated by the petitioner and the heirs of the deceased on oath remained unchallenged and were required to be accepted; accordingly the petition deserved to be allowed as prayed for.

Key takeaways

Petition allowed; Letters of Administration ordered to be granted to the petitioner for the properties left by the deceased and shown in the schedule, in the prescribed format, having effect throughout the State of Maharashtra, as per the provisions of the Indian Succession Act, 1925.ratio¶18
The petitioner is to file an account as undertaken in the Petitioner's Oath within the stipulated period.ratio¶19
Before issuance of the grant, the office is to verify that there is no cross-petition pending or caveat resisting the petition filed.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Uncontested petition (17.TP/2204/2024) for Letters of Administration under the Indian Succession Act, 1925 by Aaditee Deodatta Jog, niece of the deceased Ravindra Gangadhar Jog (died 23-03-1996 at Pune), before the Bombay High Court Testamentary Department (Shri P. A. Jagdale, OSD), decided 17th March 2026. Widow Alka Mujumdar (remarried; whereabouts unknown to petitioner) was served citation vide Rule 400, Bombay High Court (O.S.) Rules, 1980 (CHOL/395/2025); citation published on the High Court and Collector's Office (Mumbai) notice boards with 14 days expired vide Rules 396-397; delay explained vide Rule 382. Mother of the deceased Asha Jog died 08.08.2019; heirs including Harshavardhan Jog consented by affidavits without reserving rights; administration bond in prescribed Form No. 118 filed with surety, justification of surety dispensed with by order dated 09.03.2026. No objector appeared; facts stated on oath remained unchallenged. Petition allowed: Letters of Administration granted effective throughout Maharashtra; petitioner to file account per oath; office to verify absence of cross-petition or caveat before issuance.

2 17.TP/2204/2024

Before: Shri. P. A. Jagdale, Officer on Special Duty, With the Testamentary Department Date 17th March, 2026

FOR COMPLIANCE:

) 17. TP/2204/2024 Ms. Nisha Agarwal i/b S A Abhyankar Ld. Advocate [Original] ) for the Petitioner (ECHCBM02141832023 )

P.C.:

Petitioner, namely Aaditee Deodatta Jog, has applied for the grant of Letters of Administration, under the provisions of the Indian Succession Act, 1925 (for short “IS Act”), for the properties left by the deceased, namely Ravindra Gangadhar Jog (For short “Said deceased”).

I have heard Ld. Advocate. I perused the documents, such as a true copy of the death certificate of the deceased, an affidavit with document to dispense with the requisition of an identity proof of the deceased, an oath in the prescribed format, affidavit of service citation.

Said deceased died as a Married on 23-03-1996 at Pune leaving behind him legal heirs, shown in the paragraph No. 12 and 13 of the petition. Petitioner states that there are no other legal heirs to the deceased, except heirs shown in the petition.

Deceased died leaving behind his widow – Alka Mujumdar. The Mother of the deceased namely Asha Jog, died on 08.08.2019 leaving her predeceased son children Harshavardhan Jog and Aaditee (Petitioner). Petitioner states that she is not aware about the Alka Majumdar as she remarried and therefore, petitioner serves the citation vide Rule 400 of the Bombay High Court ( O. S.) Rules, 1980 vide CHOL/395/2025.

The deceased left properties shown in Schedule I of the petition. The delay has been explained vide Rule 382 of the Rules.

Office issued Citation to all concern and same has been affixed on the Notice Board of the Hon’ble High Court and notice board of the Collector’s Office at Mumbai and 14 days have been expired vide Rule 397(1) and (4) of the Bombay High Court(O.S.) Rules, 1980(for short “BHC Rules”). An affidavit to that effect has been filed. Notice to the collector has been issued vide Rule 396 of the BHC Rules.

2 17.TP/2204/2024

Till today, no one has appeared to resist the claim of the petitioner, nor has anything been brought to the notice regarding pending litigation about the same properties. Hence, the petition is treated as an uncontested one.

Legal heirs of the deceased have consented by way of Affidavits to grant the prayer of the petitioner to grant Letters of Administration, without reserving any right. Legal heirs have accepted the facts regarding their relationship, inter se. 8) Petitioner has filed the administration Bond in the prescribed form No. 118 with surety.

Hence, office requisition to justify the surety to the non-consenting legal heirs has been dispensed with vide an order of the Hon’ble Court dated 09.03.2026. Hence, petition is taken up for the order.

Ld. Advocate for the petitioner submitted that in view of provisions of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, the petitioner, being Niece of the deceased, is entitled to seek a Letters of Administration. Hence, facts stated by the petitioner and heirs of the deceased, on oath, remained unchallenged and required to be accepted. Accordingly, the petition deserves to be allowed, as prayed for. Hence, following order:

ORDER

1. Petition is allowed and the Letters of Administration be granted to the petitioner for properties, left by the deceased and shown in the schedule, in the prescribed format, having effect throughout the state of Maharashtra as per the provisions of the Indian Succession Act, 1925.

1. The petitioner to file an account as undertaken in a Petitioner’s Oath within the stipulated period.

1. Before issuance of the grant, the office to verify that there is no cross-petition pending or caveat resisting the petition is filed.

17th March, 2026

Officer on Special Duty,