Mehli Mistry seeks probe on affiliate of Tata Trusts for appointing non-Parsis

He has accused his former Tata Trustees colleagues—including chairman Noel Tata—of appointing two vice chairmen, Vijay Singh and Venu Srinivasan, who, being non-Parsis, he claims should not have served on a Trust run by a principal Tata Trust.

Mistry, who resigned from Tata Trusts in October last year, has asked the regulatory body to probe the Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution, one of the five trusts run by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust & Allied Trusts. Separately, Sir Dorabji Tata Trust & Allied Trusts run nine additional Trusts.

Sir Dorabji Tata Trusts (SDTT) and Sir Ratan Tata Trusts (SRTT) own 27.98% and 23.56% of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group. Along with this 51.54% stake, six other Trusts own 14.36%, making the philanthropic entities the owners with 65.9% of Tata Sons.

“Clause 6 of the Trust Deed dated 07.12.1923 expressly and unequivocally sets out a specific, mandatory qualification that all of the Trustees (of Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution) shall be Zorastrians,” read an appeal, dated 3 March, filed by Mistry. “Clause 18 of the Trust Deed dated 07.12.1923 expressly states that no person who is not of Zoroastrian faith shall be appointed as a trustee.”

“The Applicant/Objector fails to understand how individuals who do not meet the qualifications prescribed under Clauses 6 and 18 of the Trust Deed, and who are therefore not trustees, can purport to be appointed as trustees of the Trust,” said the petition.

Besides Singh and Srinivasan, Mistry has made Noel Tata, Ratan Tata’s brother Jimmy N Tata, and two other Trustees, Jehangir H.C. Jehangir and lawyer Darius Khambata, parties to his appeal.

Mistry’s petition said the appointments of Singh and Srinivasan, and their subsequent actions, “including voting on Circular Resolution No. 671 is a blatant violation of the express terms of the Trust Deed. This action not only amounts to maladministration of the trust but also to commission of malfeasance in respect of the trust. Further, the actions by Applicants Nos. 3 (Venu Srinivasan) and 4 (Vijay Singh) constitute criminal acts of cheating, fraud, misrepresentation and criminal breach of trust,” said the petition filed by Mistry.

Notably, Circular Resolution No. 671 was the resolution number under which Mistry’s reappointment to Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution was proposed at this trust on 23 October 2025.

Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution is an affiliate Trust of Sir Ratan Tata Trusts. It owns immovable properties in Navsari and Mumbai, including a fire temple and a school in Navsari, and a Parsi residential colony in Bandra. It has a clause that permits only Parsis who follow the Zoroastrian faith to serve on the board of Trustees.

“This warrants immediate and strict directions by this Hon’ble Authority to bring accountability for such blatant criminal acts,” his petition said.

In his petition, Mistry—a Mumbai-based businessman and confidant of the late Ratan Tata, and executor and beneficiary of Tata’s will — describes himself as a UK citizen of Parsi origin, a tax resident of Dubai, and a permanent resident of Mumbai.

Venu Srinivasan declined to comment on Mint’s queries. An email sent to Mistry, Noel Tata, and Singh seeking comment went unanswered.

Mistry's term as a trustee of both SRTT and SDTT was not renewed following opposition from Noel Tata, Srinivasan, and Singh to his permanent trustee appointment on 28 October.

This opposition arose after Mistry and three trustees voted to remove Singh as a Tata Trusts representative on the board of Tata Sons. Mistry maintains that his removal was a retaliatory action by the three opposing trustees.

For now, Noel Tata and Srinivasan are the two Tata Trust nominees on the six-member board of Tata Sons.

In September last year, Mistry, with Pramit Jhaveri (former Citibank India CEO), Darius Khambata (Mumbai-based lawyer), and Jehangir H.C. Jehangir (Pune-based businessman), voted to remove Singh as a Tata Trusts representative from the Tata Sons board. They questioned why the three Tata Trusts representatives withheld information about board decisions, arguing this created two classes of trustees: nominee directors (with information) and remaining trustees (without).

Earlier this year, Jhaveri decided not to seek another term at SDTT, ending his term on 11 February.

In November, after his removal from the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, and an allied trust, Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Navsari Charitable Institution, Mistry filed a caveat against his removal, but withdrew his challenge within days.