

Mehli Mistry seeks probe on affiliate of Tata Trusts for appointing non-Parsis
Bengaluru/Mumbai: Former Tata Trusts trustee Mehli Mistry has filed an affidavit before the Maharashtra charity commissioner, seeking clarification on alleged irregularities at an affiliate of Tata Trusts.He has accused his former Tata Trustees colleagues—including chairman Noel Tata—of appointing two vice chairmen, Vijay Singh and Venu Srinivasan, who, being non-Parsis, he claims should not have served on a Trust run by a principal Tata Trust.Mistry, who resigned from Tata Trusts in October last year, has asked the regulatory body to probe the Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution, one of the five trusts run by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust & Allied Trusts. Separately, Sir Dorabji Tata Trust & Allied Trusts run nine additional Trusts.Sir Dorabji Tata Trusts (SDTT) and Sir Ratan Tata Trusts (SRTT) own 27.98% and 23.56% of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group.
Along with this 51.54% stake, six other Trusts own 14.36%, making the philanthropic entities the owners with 65.9% of Tata Sons.“Clause 6 of the Trust Deed dated 07.12.1923 expressly and unequivocally sets out a specific, mandatory qualification that all of the Trustees (of Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution) shall be Zorastrians,” read an appeal, dated 3 March, filed by Mistry. “Clause 18 of the Trust Deed dated 07.12.1923 expressly states that no person who is not of Zoroastrian faith shall be appointed as a trustee.”“The Applicant/Objector fails to understand how individuals who do not meet the qualifications prescribed under Clauses 6 and 18 of the Trust Deed, and who are therefore not trustees, can purport to be appointed as trustees of the Trust,” said the petition.Besides Singh and Srinivasan, Mistry has made
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