Indian-Origin Woman Wins ₹70 Cr After Husband Hid ₹295 Cr Fortune in 23-Year UK Divorce Battle

An Indian-origin woman, Varsha Gohil, has finally secured a ₹70 crore (£6.6 million) settlement after a 23-year-long divorce and financial litigation battle , one of the longest and most complex matrimonial disputes in UK legal history.

The case began in May 2002 when she filed for divorce from her husband, Bhadresh Gohil, a solicitor who was later convicted in a major money laundering and forgery case and sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2010. In the early stage of proceedings, she accepted a modest settlement, including a lump sum and household assets, but later alleged that her husband had deliberately hidden a vast fortune and failed to disclose the full extent of his wealth during divorce proceedings.

Subsequent investigations suggested that the couple’s assets were far larger than initially declared, with estimates of undisclosed holdings running into tens of millions of pounds. The matter became more complex after criminal proceedings against Bhadresh Gohil, during which the UK Crown Prosecution Service secured a Confiscation Order over nearly £28 million (around ₹295 crore) , arguing the assets were proceeds of crime.

The legal dispute then centred on whether any portion of the wealth could be treated as legitimate marital property . The High Court found that while some funds were linked to criminal activity, a portion constituted lawful business assets built during the marriage, forming an “untainted marital pool” eligible for division.

In parallel, higher courts revisited earlier divorce settlements following legal principles reinforced by the UK Supreme Court that allow cases to be reopened in instances of fraud or material non-disclosure . After years of appeals, the Court of Appeal refused further challenge, making the High Court ruling final.

Justice Williams described the husband’s conduct as representing “the highest level of dishonesty” , noting the severe personal and financial impact on the wife, who is now 61 and based in London. The judgment has brought closure to a prolonged legal saga spanning over two decades.