Two women have become embroiled in a complicated legal wrangle over a businessman’s multi-million pound fortune.
Baldev Kohli, an Indian mogul, had left his entire wealth to his long-time wife, Harjeet Kaur Kohli, when he lost his battle with cancer in 2015.
But Melissa Proles, who had started a relationship with the entrepreneur after meeting him at a Surrey tennis club, has gone to court arguing she should be awarded a share of his £2.5million estate.
Much of her case will rest on whether the court determines that the deceased was domiciled in England prior to his death.
Ms Proles has claimed that Mr Kohli had proposed shortly after their first meeting and had shown great affection for a daughter they had together.
She has argued that she should receive a proportion of the deceased’s assets in order to make “reasonable provision” for the little girl, who is now four-years-old.
Her legal team has said that Mr Kohli had made many generous gifts to the girl and had wanted to fulfil his parental responsibilities.
But those representing the businessman’s widow had countered the claims, suggesting he had cast doubt on the girl’s paternity and made a “conscious decision” to leave the UK – where he had various business interests – to return to his native India.
Mrs Kohli had also disputed claims she was estranged from her late husband.
The hearing continues.
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