Mehli Mistry Calls for Replacement of ‘Illegal’ Tata Trusts Board
Mehli Mistry has raised serious allegations against the leadership of Tata Trusts, claiming they have operated an “illegal” board by selectively enforcing rules to secure their own positions while ousting him. Mistry, a former trustee of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust, has called for an independent administrator to take over the board. He contends that key figures within the organization, including Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh, have improperly benefited from their connections to Tata companies linked to the trusts.
Mistry’s Legal Claims Against Tata Trusts
In a formal complaint submitted to the charity commissioner, Mistry accused chairman Noel Tata, along with Srinivasan and Singh, of violating a resolution approved in October 2024 that allowed for perpetual trusteeships. He argues that their actions to oppose his reappointment and subsequently remove him from both trusts contradict the very provisions they benefited from. Mistry claims that Srinivasan was not a valid trustee during the vote for his reappointment, rendering the proceedings invalid. He also pointed out that the trust failed to file necessary disclosures regarding changes in board composition, which he argues is a breach of statutory requirements.
Challenging Trustee Appointments
Mistry further contested the legality of Noel Tata’s reappointment as a life trustee in January 2025, asserting that it became invalid due to the failure to submit a mandatory change report within the required 90 days. He also highlighted that Srinivasan’s reappointment as a life trustee in October 2025 violated newly enacted laws in Maharashtra concerning perpetual trustees. According to the amended Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, if a trust’s founding document does not mention perpetual trustees, the number of lifetime trustees should not exceed one-quarter of the total board. Mistry claims that since the founding document of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust does not allow for perpetual trustees, the reappointment of Noel Tata as a life trustee had already filled the statutory limit, making Srinivasan’s subsequent appointment illegal.
Allegations of Financial Misconduct
In addition to governance issues, Mistry has accused Singh of receiving over ₹20 crore in commissions from Tata Sons and other Tata companies while serving as a nominee director between FY2015 and FY2025. He argues that these funds should have been directed to the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust rather than retained personally by Singh. Mistry is seeking the recovery of these funds along with interest. He has also alleged that Srinivasan misused resources from Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), a Tata firm, for personal gain, including hiring former design chief Gerry McGovern for consultancy work related to Norton Motorcycles, which is part of his TVS Group. Mistry has requested transparency regarding payments made to JLR for these services.
Mistry’s ongoing legal challenges come on the heels of his recent questioning of the eligibility of Srinivasan, Singh, and other trustees of the Bai Hirabai J N Tata Navsari Charitable Institution, citing issues related to their non-Zoroastrian status and non-Mumbai residency. Following this, Srinivasan resigned, while Singh remains on the board. Mistry’s allegations highlight significant concerns regarding governance and financial practices within the Tata Trusts, raising questions about the integrity of their leadership.
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