In a major setback for Tata Trusts, Maharashtra Charity Commissioner Amogh S Kaloti has directed the Sir Ratan Tata Trust to defer its board meeting scheduled for Saturday and ordered a probe into the affairs of the trusts that collectively own 66.4% of the Tata group.
The direction to defer the board meeting of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, scheduled for Saturday, was issued under Section 36A(1) of the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, Kaloti said. The order follows complaints dated April 18, 2026, filed by advocate Katyayani Agrawal on behalf of her client, Suresh Tulsiram Patikhede, and another complaint filed by Tata Trusts vice-chairman Venu Srinivasan on April 28, 2026.
The charity commissioner not only halted the board meeting but also directed the trusts not to convene any such meeting until the submission of the inspector inquiry report.
“The issues highlighted by Srinivasan and advocate Agrawal are serious and require due consideration. An inspector inquiry into these complaints has already been ordered and a report of the inquiry is awaited. In case a meeting of the board of trustees is called and any important decisions regarding the administration, management or composition of the trusts are taken during pendency of the said inquiry, that would lead to further complications and multiplicity of proceedings. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the trusts, as well as in the interest of justice, that such a meeting is deferred till submission of the inspector inquiry report,” the order said on Friday.
The trusts were originally scheduled to meet on May 8, but the meeting was postponed to May 16, even as the Bombay High Court refused urgent listing of a writ petition filed by Patikhede. At the subsequent hearing, the court questioned his locus standi in the matter, leading to the withdrawal of the petition.
Patikhede’s petition before the charity commissioner also alleged similar violations by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust regarding the composition of its board of trustees. The petition claimed that 50% of its six trustees are life trustees, whereas the rules permit only 25%.
Following this, Kaloti on May 13 ordered an “inspector inquiry” under Section 37 of the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act. A report under Section 39 is currently awaited.
