Baldev Kohli left his £2.5 million estate behind to his widow in accordance with his wishes set out in his Will. Mr Kohli’s mistress, Melissa Proles, wants her four-year-old daughter to be looked after by the estate. However, Mr Kohli’s widow believes that his family in India come first. There is now a legal battle underway between the two as to what should happen to the estate.
Ms Proles began an affair with Mr Kohli after they met at Weybridge’s exclusive St George’s Tennis Club.
The pair lived together until six months before their daughter was born in 2013. Ms Proles, described the deceased as “larger-than-life” and explained how he proposed shortly after their relationship began and “doted on” his daughter.
However, after being diagnosed with cancer in October 2014, he returned to India to be with his family. He died at the age of 59 in Delhi about a year later. Mr Kohli left his entire fortune to his wife of 35 years, Harjeet Kaur Kohli, who insists they were not “estranged” and that she had cared for him in his final days.
Mrs Kohli’s barrister claimed that Mr Kohli “expressed doubts and disappointment about his relationship with Melissa, and doubted the paternity of the girl”.
Whilst Ms Proles barrister said that “He wanted to honour his parental responsibilities, and to care for the girl and see her”.
However, the main issue facing Ms Proles in getting her case of the ground is whether or not Mr Kohli was considered as domiciled in England when he died.
Mrs Kohli’s barrister claims that he had made a conscious decision to return home to India at the time of his illness and at best, Mrs Proles’ evidence suggests that he enjoyed something of a double life. He remained engaged with, and provided for his family in India, while forming friendships and having romances in England. Mrs Kohli argues that a ‘double life’ is insufficient to constitute the deliberate and unequivocal abandonment of a domicile of origin.
The case continues.
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