A divorce case that stretched across more than two decades has finally come to an end in the United Kingdom, with an Indian-origin woman securing a settlement worth £6.6 million (around ₹8 crores) after years of legal proceedings.
The dispute, involving London-based Varsha Gohil and her former husband Bhadresh Gohil, has been described as one of the longest-running divorce battles in British legal history. The case moved through multiple courts and was complicated by criminal proceedings against the husband, leading to years of delays before a final resolution could be reached, according to a report by news agency PTI, citing the UK-based newspaper, The Times.
Divorce proceedings began in 2002
Varsha Gohil filed for divorce in May 2002. Although she initially agreed to a relatively modest settlement, questions later emerged over assets that she believed had not been fully disclosed by her husband, a lawyer by profession.
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Her efforts to pursue the matter took a different turn when authorities launched a money-laundering investigation involving Bhadresh Gohil. In 2010, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with a corruption case linked to a client in Nigeria.
The criminal case created additional legal hurdles, as questions arose over which assets could be considered legitimate marital property and which were tied to criminal activity.
Battle over assets continues for years
While the UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) pursued a Confiscation Order relating to nearly £28 million linked to the husband’s criminal conduct, the issue of Varsha Gohil’s entitlement to assets acquired during the marriage remained unresolved.
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Tthe long-running dispute finally moved towards closure after the UK Court of Appeal ruled last month that no further appeals would be permitted, news agency PTI reported citing UK based newspaper The Times. The decision cleared the way for a High Court judgment delivered last year to take effect.
The High Court ultimately concluded that a portion of the assets represented legitimate business interests accumulated during the marriage, entitling the former wife to a share despite the wider criminal proceedings.
Court criticises husband’s conduct
In his judgment dated May 28, 2025, Justice Williams made strong observations regarding the conduct of Bhadresh Gohil.
“The husband’s conduct is at the highest end of the scale in terms of dishonesty and its consequences,” Justice Williams said in the ruling.
“The wife is now nearing retirement age and has come through the last 23 years with health problems, but financially, she is still afloat.
“Given my conclusions on the assets which the wife sought orders in respect of and the other assets which are subject to the Confiscation Order, the marital pool of identifiable untainted realisable assets of around 6,663,172 pounds compared to the realisable assets of 27,967,337.48 pounds amounts to a modest 23.82 per cent,” he said.
A case that spanned multiple jurisdictions
The judge also reflected on the extraordinary duration and complexity of the proceedings, noting how widely the case had travelled through the legal system.
Regarding the length of the proceedings, the judge noted that the name Gohil will “linger long in the memories of lawyers and judges across a range of jurisdictions” due to the “tortuous route that the case has followed”.
Varsha Gohil, now 61, had long maintained concerns that her husband had failed to reveal the full extent of his wealth despite legal obligations requiring complete disclosure in divorce proceedings.
Legitimate assets recognised by court
The CPS had argued that the assets in question were entirely proceeds of crime and therefore should be dealt with through criminal asset recovery proceedings rather than divorce-related claims.
However, the High Court found that some of the businesses and assets involved were legitimate and formed part of the marital estate. That finding paved the way for the settlement awarded to Varsha Gohil.
Judge Williams also took serious note of Bhadresh Gohil’s failure to disclose his actual financial position, observing the impact his actions had on his family and the lengthy legal battle that followed.