Family Solicitors

A convicted fraudster jailed for 10 years in 2010 is facing a court battle with his ex-wife, who claims he hid the couple’s financial assets from the family court during their divorce hearing in 2004.

Varsha Gohil, 50, has won her legal battle to take her case to the Supreme Court, after alleging her ex-husband Bhadresh Gohil deliberate mislead the court over the value of their joint assets.

Mrs Gohil is seeking a fairer share of the couple’s assets in their divorce settlement. The couple’s divorce was finalised in 2004 – but in 2006, Mrs Gohil had the consent order for the settlement overturned on the grounds that her ex-husband had not given the Family Division of the court accurate information about his financial position.

The original settlement included the sum of £270,000.

The hearing was delayed because of a criminal investigation into Mr Gohil, a former solicitor.

In 2010, Southwark Crown Court jailed him for 10 years for fraud and money laundering totalling approximately £37 million, after hearing that he had helped Nigerian politician James Ibori steal millions of pounds from the Nigerian state he governed.

During the trial, further evidence about Mr Gohil’s role in the couple’s divorce proceedings emerged – and in 2012, the High Court ruled that Mr Gohil had failed to disclose all his financial assets and the divorce settlement was overturned.

However, the Evening Standard reports that Mr Gohil won his case at the Court of Appeal, after judges ruled evidence at his criminal trial held in open court but not released by the Crown Prosecution Service was inadmissible at his divorce hearing – meaning Mrs Gohil was no longer able to prove that her ex-husband’s assertions about his financial circumstances had not been correct at the original divorce hearings.

After winning her legal fight to take her case to the Supreme Court – the highest court in the country – Mrs Gohil will have her case heard in June 2015.

Mr Gohil declined to comment on the proceedings.

Duncan Lewis Divorce Solicitors

Duncan Lewis divorce solicitors can advise on a wide range of family law matters, including divorce settlements, contested divorce cases and child custody, including child contact and residence disputes.

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Duncan Lewis divorce solicitors can also advise on family law and childcare matters under UK law and Islamic law.

For expert legal advice on divorce, call Duncan Lewis divorce solicitors on 020 7923 4020.