Delhi High Court orders status quo on property of late fashion designer Rohit Bal amid will dispute

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued an order of status quo to ensure that property left behind by late fashion designer Rohit Bal is not altered or alienated during the pendency of a dispute regarding his will [Lalit Tehlan v. State of Nct of Delhi and ors]..The Court passed the interim order on a plea by Lalit Tehlan, a close friend of Bal. The two resided together before Bal's untimely demise last year..Tehlan has staked a claim in the assets left behind by Bal by citing a will dated October 30, 2023, by which Bal bequeathed all his movable and immovable properties, including his shareholding in Rohit Bal Designs Private Limited, to Tehlan. The bequeathment also includes expensive artifacts, paintings, sculptures, watches and gold. The Court was told that after Bal's demise, his step-siblings changed locks on Bal's property in Defence Colony and stationed security guards to prevent Tehlan from accessing the property. Tehlan has alleged that Bal's step-siblings were trying to usurp properties bequeathed to him. Tehlan, therefore, expressed apprehensions today that assets left behind by Bal may be used or transferred in a manner that could affect Tehlan's property rights as bequeathed to him under Bal's will. Justice Anish Dayal recorded these concerns and proceeded to order that status quo be maintained on Bal's property, which includes both the immovable property at Defence Colony and movable assets left behind by the fashion designer. "To avoid dissipation of the estate, there will remain a status quo on the movable assets or any property or asset of the testator, even the ones not listed or known," the Court ordered. .The order was passed after hearing brief submissions by Bal's step-siblings.Senior Advocate Abhinav Vashisht represented Bal's step-brothers and confirmed that the keys to Bal's property in Defence Colony was with them. The Court said it would issue directions to inventorise all assets on the property in the presence of Bal's stepbrothers. "We will appoint a Local Commissioner, an art expert, (and call for) assistance to open the safe. Post the inventorisation, it will be locked again. All expensive articles will be kept in the safe and key will be given to Registrar General of the High Court. A date will be given for inventorization next week, on 10th or 11th," the Court said before listing the matter before the Registrar (Judicial) on March 6..During the hearing, the judge also orally observed that there may be other heirs who may now come to Court in the matter."I have no doubt that everybody is going to come [for the property]," Justice Dayal remarked.The Court has directed that a valuation report with respect to Bal's property be notified through two newspapers as well."State shall take steps to place a valuation report with respect to the property given in the petition. Citation to be issued in two newspapers," it said. .During earlier hearings, the Court had expressed concern that Tehlan's claims rested upon an unregistered will and that it was a peculiar situation since Tehlan was not a family member. Tehlan's counsel, Senior Advocate Sanjiv Kakra, had responded by telling the Court that he was close to Bal, with the relationship of over 20 years. Advocates Jay Bhardwaj, Priya Arora and Disha Bajaj filed Tehlan's petition..[Read Live Coverage]