A divorce settlement that appeared settled more than 20 years ago has finally reached its conclusion, with an Indian-origin woman securing a payout worth £6.6 million (approximately Rs 85 crore) in what has become one of the most extraordinary divorce cases in British legal history.
The lengthy legal battle began in 2002 when Varsha Gohil filed for divorce from her husband, Bhadresh Gohil, citing adultery and unreasonable behaviour. The couple, who had three children, agreed to a financial settlement under which Varsha received around £270,000 (approximately Rs 3.5 crore) and retained the family’s Peugeot car.
Although the settlement was finalised, Varsha remained unconvinced that all of her husband’s assets had been fully disclosed during the proceedings.
Hidden Wealth Comes To Light
For years, there was little evidence to support her suspicions. The situation changed dramatically when Bhadresh Gohil became embroiled in a high-profile money-laundering investigation involving associates of former Nigerian governor James Ibori.
Investigators alleged that Gohil helped move millions of pounds through complex offshore structures and client accounts. Following an extensive probe, he was convicted of money laundering, forgery and conspiracy to defraud.
In 2011, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The criminal investigation uncovered assets worth tens of millions of pounds that had never surfaced during the original divorce proceedings. Prosecutors later moved to freeze nearly £28 million, claiming the wealth had been concealed through a network of international companies.
The revelations strengthened Varsha Gohil’s long-running claim that her former husband had hidden significant assets during their divorce.
UK Supreme Court Steps In
The dispute eventually reached the UK’s Supreme Court, which delivered a landmark ruling in 2015.
The court allowed Varsha to reopen the financial settlement, ruling that a spouse who deliberately fails to disclose assets should not benefit from that misconduct. The judgment was seen as a major victory for transparency and fairness in family law.
However, the legal battle was far from over.
The Crown Prosecution Service argued that the frozen assets were entirely proceeds of crime and should be used to satisfy confiscation orders. Varsha maintained that a portion of the wealth had legitimate origins and had been accumulated during the marriage, making it matrimonial property.
At the same time, Bhadresh Gohil denied ownership of the assets altogether.
High Court Awards £6.6 Million
The case eventually came before the High Court, where Justice Williams examined competing claims over the frozen assets.
After reviewing the evidence, the court concluded that a significant portion of the wealth had legitimate origins and formed part of the couple’s marital estate.
Justice Williams identified approximately £6.66 million in untainted assets and awarded the amount to Varsha Gohil.
In a strongly worded judgment, the judge criticised Bhadresh Gohil’s conduct, stating that his actions represented dishonesty at the highest level.
“The husband’s conduct is at the highest end of the scale in terms of dishonesty and its consequences,” Justice Williams observed.
The judge also described Gohil as “thoroughly and pervasively dishonest” while commenting on the complexity of the case.
Reflecting on the decades-long litigation, Justice Williams remarked that the Gohil case would remain memorable among lawyers and judges because of the “tortuous route” it had taken through multiple courts and jurisdictions.
Legal Saga Finally Ends
The legal battle, which stretched across more than two decades and involved family courts, criminal proceedings and asset recovery claims, finally came to an end last month.
The UK Court of Appeal ruled that no further appeals would be allowed, bringing one of Britain’s most remarkable divorce disputes to a close.
For Varsha Gohil, the decision marks the conclusion of a 24-year fight to challenge a settlement she believed never reflected the true extent of her former husband’s wealth.