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By:

C.S. Krishnamurthy

21 June 2025 at 2:15:51 pm

Parents Before Property

The Bombay High Court’s recent decision upholding the cancellation of a gift deed executed by elderly parents in favour of their son is more than a legal victory. It is a timely reminder that parenthood cannot be reduced to a property transaction. By affirming that parents may revoke a property transfer when children fail to honour their obligation of care and support, the Court has reinforced a principle that is both legal and moral. The verdict in the Ashwin Ramesh Soni v. Ramesh Bachaulal...

Parents Before Property

The Bombay High Court’s recent decision upholding the cancellation of a gift deed executed by elderly parents in favour of their son is more than a legal victory. It is a timely reminder that parenthood cannot be reduced to a property transaction. By affirming that parents may revoke a property transfer when children fail to honour their obligation of care and support, the Court has reinforced a principle that is both legal and moral. The verdict in the Ashwin Ramesh Soni v. Ramesh Bachaulal Soni & Ors., reinforces the objective of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. The Court recognised that when parents transfer property with the legitimate expectation of being cared for, and that expectation is wilfully defeated, the law can restore justice. A gift founded on trust cannot survive when that trust is fundamentally breached. The judgement raises uncomfortable questions. What does it say about society when ageing parents must seek justice against their own children? Why should those who devoted a lifetime to raising families spend their twilight years proving that they deserve dignity? Have we begun to mistake inheritance for entitlement and affection for convenience? Changing Times These are not merely legal questions. They reflect the changing character of Indian families. India takes pride in its tradition of strong family bonds. Close-knit families, cherished traditions and an enduring culture of honouring parents have long defined our collective identity. Such images have long symbolised the country’s cultural strength. But growing reports of elder abuse present a sobering reality. Many parents experience neglect, emotional humiliation or isolation within homes they built. Some are confined to a single room after transferring property. Others are abandoned altogether. The emotional trauma often outweighs the financial loss. The ruling recognises what may be called an unwritten family contract. Parents spend decades sacrificing personal comforts to educate children, fund their ambitions, conduct weddings and build family assets. In return, they expect not luxury but companionship, care, respect and emotional security. By acknowledging that certain family transactions rest on mutual trust rather than legal formalities alone, the Court has reaffirmed that the law will protect vulnerable senior citizens when that trust is exploited. Reports frequently describe retired parents evicted from homes gifted to children, widowed mothers fighting prolonged legal battles for shelter, and elderly couples seeking police protection against their own offspring. Many such cases remain hidden because families fear social stigma more than personal suffering. Family Trust The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 was enacted precisely because traditional family safeguards were proving inadequate. Section 23 empowers authorities to declare property transfers void when they are made on the understanding that the recipient will provide for the transferor's basic needs, but subsequently fails to do so. The verdict has given practical meaning to this safeguard by making it clear that the law will not remain a silent spectator when trust is betrayed. Some critics argue that legal intervention weakens family relationships. The opposite is true. Good laws exist not because every family fails but because some do. Just as traffic laws protect responsible drivers from reckless ones, laws safeguarding parents protect families from exploitation without diminishing genuine affection. But society also has responsibilities. Financial advisers should caution senior citizens against transferring valuable assets prematurely. In many situations, a well-drafted will offers greater protection than an outright gift deed. Where property is transferred during one's lifetime, expectations regarding care and maintenance should be clearly documented to minimise future disputes. Children should remember that caring for ageing parents is not charity. It is gratitude expressed through everyday actions. I recall meeting an elderly gentleman at a bank several years ago. He proudly showed me documents transferring his house to his only son and remarked with complete confidence, “Now I have no worries. My son will take care of everything.” His face reflected absolute trust. Thankfully, countless children justify such trust every day. But when that faith is broken, the emotional consequences can be devastating. Indian culture has long viewed caring for parents as a privilege, not a burden. Honouring parents goes beyond living together. A caring phone call, a visit during illness, financial support or shared moments can bring comfort, dignity and belonging. Loneliness often wounds seniors more deeply than disease. When parents must approach courts for protection from their own children, it is time for society to introspect. (The writer is a retired banker and author. He can be reached at krs1957@hotmail.com. Views personal.)

Undercover operation unearths dirty acts

Mumbai: In a chilling revelation that has sent shockwaves through the corporate sector, the Nashik Police have busted a highly organised racket operating within a reputed multinational IT company, where young female graduates were systematically targeted for sexual exploitation, molestation, and forced religious conversion. The police have concluded that this was a meticulously planned conspiracy driven by a radical mindset, which was ultimately unmasked through an exceptionally daring and undercover operation.


The modus operandi of the perpetrators was both sophisticated and insidious. Unemployed young women were lured into joining the company with the promise of attractive salaries. Once employed, they were placed under constant surveillance by specific team leaders who operated the floor like a call center at the company’s premises near Wadala village, a Muslim dominated area of Nashik city.


The perpetrators executed their plans with systematic precision, beginning by winning the trust of their targets. Male suspects, often hiding their marital status to appear single, would flatter the women, flirt with them, and invite them out for meals. Leveraging their professional positions, they would oblige the victims by offering them preferred transfers or leaves, constantly reminding them that they owed their jobs to these men.


Woman Suspect

The conspiracy was not limited to men alone; some female employees were equally complicit. These female accomplices would build a rapport with Hindu girls, subtly introducing them to specific religious ideologies. They would manipulate the victims by suggesting that certain traditional religious attire would look beautiful on them and urge them to try it. To streamline their dark operations, the accused had created secret WhatsApp groups. One group was used exclusively by the perpetrators to discuss company politics and identify their “next targets,” while separate, isolated WhatsApp groups were created for the trapped women to systematically brainwash them.


Those who resisted these advances or refused to yield to the religious grooming were subjected to severe mental harassment, forcing many to silently resign and leave the company. The horrifying extent of the exploitation was highlighted by an incident where a victim was taken to a resort on a holiday and sexually assaulted. The toxic environment also affected a young male employee who was mentally tortured and pressured to convert through objectionable religious remarks made at the workplace. Furthermore, the sheer impunity of the racket was exposed when a Hindu girl and a suspect were caught in an objectionable position on the company terrace. Despite the entire episode being captured on CCTV, senior colleagues intervened and suppressed the matter.


Changed Behaviour

The unravelling of this sinister web began in the home of a middle-class family in Nashik. Their daughter, a modern young woman who had joined the company in July 2022, started exhibiting drastic and inexplicable behavioural changes.


She began observing month-long religious fasts and deliberately avoided eating meals with her Hindu friends.


Police pose as employees
The police maintained absolute secrecy and launched a special undercover operation. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed, and under the leadership of senior women police officers, a squad of seven female personnel was deployed. Concealing their true identities, these women successfully secured jobs within the same IT company. For eight days, they worked on the floor, observing the daily operations and keeping a close watch on the suspects. During meetings, the undercover officers witnessed first-hand the obscene gestures, inappropriate behaviour, and immense psychological pressure exerted on the female employees. To fortify their case, the police also analysed footage from over forty CCTV cameras, gathering irrefutable technical evidence.

Armed with an unbroken chain of evidence, the police raided the company and apprehended the culprits.

Nine FIRs have been registered so far, based on complaints from six unmarried women, two married women, and one male employee. Currently, six suspects have been arrested, with five remanded to police custody and one to judicial custody, while a search is underway for an absconding female accused. Assistant Commissioner of Police Sandeep Mitke stated that the seizure of the suspects’ mobile phones has revealed shocking technical evidence.

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