A testament of friendship, documented in a will a decade ago, has finally received the stamp of legal approval from an Ahmedabad court. In a significant ruling, a civil court has granted probate to a will written in 2014, bequeathing over four hectares of prime non-agricultural land on the city's outskirts to a long-time friend, overcoming a ten-year delay caused by international travel.
A Will Executed in 2014, Probated in 2024
The case revolves around Navin Patel, a resident of Memnagar, who passed away on June 27, 2014. Just a month prior, on May 22, 2014, he prepared his last will and testament. This crucial document detailed the distribution of his movable and immovable properties among his legal heirs and his close friend, Girish Patel from Ranip.
The will specifically gifted a substantial plot of land measuring 4-03-69 H-AR- sq mtrs (40,369 square metres) of highly valuable NA land. This asset, worth crores of rupees, is located in Paldi-Kankaj village within Daskroi taluka. The execution of the will was witnessed by two individuals, Mukund Panara and Kalpesh Desai, and it was formally registered at the sub-registrar office in Narol.
The Decade-Long Journey to Legal Validation
Despite the will being ready, it was only in 2024 that Girish Patel approached the Ahmedabad rural court, seeking a probate and a letter of administration for the document. The reason for this prolonged gap, as explained to the court, was Girish's frequent travels abroad, which prevented him from initiating the necessary legal proceedings earlier.
In his application, Girish affirmed that Navin Patel was of sound mind and acted without any fraud or coercion when he made the will. Following procedure, the court issued a public notice regarding the probate application in November 2024 and sent special notices to Navin Patel's legal heirs mentioned in the will, inviting any objections.
Court's Ruling: No Objections, Probate Granted
The legal process saw a smooth passage. None of the legal heirs or any third party raised objections to the will's contents or the transfer of the valuable land. Strengthening the case further, one of the attesting witnesses, Mukund Panara, submitted an affidavit confirming the genuineness and proper execution of the will.
After examining all documents and submissions, Additional Senior Civil Judge G T Solanki delivered the judgment. The court observed that the applicant and other legal heirs, appointed as executors in the will, were entitled to receive the probate certificate for the properties listed. The court ordered the issuance of the probate certificate in favour of Girish Patel, specifically for the purpose of distributing the movable and immovable properties as outlined in the 2014 will.
This ruling brings a conclusive end to a ten-year wait, legally sealing a bond of friendship that Navin Patel intended to honour through his final wishes. It underscores the importance of proper will execution and registration, even when legal validation is sought much later.
