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Court rules concealment of heirs and misrepresentation invalidate eight-year-old probate.

Bombay High Court Cancels Probate of ₹600-Crore Bandra Bungalow.                                                                                                                                                                                       

The Bombay High Court has revoked a probate granted in 2017 for the iconic ‘Marina Manor’ bungalow in Bandra, valued at over ₹600 crore, citing concealment of material facts and false statements about the deceased’s legal heirs. Justice Sharmila U Deshmukh, in an order dated December 11, allowed a petition under Section 263 of the Indian Succession Act and cancelled the probate issued in favour of Marina Manuel Fernandes for a purported will dated November 8, 2014, of the late Marie Joseph Fernandes. The court held that several rightful heirs, including first cousin and legal heir Marion Crasto, were deliberately excluded from the earlier proceedings. It ruled that even unintentional ignorance of legal heirs is no excuse, and failure to notify them is sufficient ground to revoke probate. The case also raised serious concerns about the authenticity of the 2014 will, allegedly executed when the deceased was bedridden and mentally unfit. Criminal complaints, contempt proceedings, and parallel probate irregularities continue to keep the dispute under judicial scrutiny.