Tata Trusts-Mehli row: Charity commissioner to hear case on Oct 15

MUMBAI: Maharashtra’s charity commissioner on Tuesday adjourned until Oct 15 hearings on objections filed by former Tata Trusts trustee Mehli Mistry against change reports recording his exit from three trusts, after the trusts sought more time to respond. The trusts cited a complicating development: the exit of Vijay Singh from Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution, which necessitates amendments to the change reports filed in connection with Mistry’s departure.Singh had been named as reporting trustee in filings recording Mistry’s cessation at SRTT, Bai Hirabai and Sir Dorabji Tata Trust. With Singh no longer a trustee of SRTT and Bai Hirabai, the trusts must identify a replacement reporting trustee in those filings — though Singh remains reporting trustee in the SDTT filing. Singh’s tenure at SRTT lapsed in Aug while the trust remained subject to a ban imposed by the commissioner. His trusteeship at Bai Hirabai ceased automatically, as it was linked to his position at SRTT.Mistry filed his objections after the trusts declined to renew his trusteeship, raising concerns over governance, alleged violations of trust deeds and conflicts of interest involving certain trustees.