A woman who spent almost a quarter of a century fighting to prove her former husband had concealed his wealth has secured a £6.6 million settlement in what is being described as one of the longest-running divorce disputes in British legal history.
Varsha Gohil, 61, first filed for divorce from solicitor Bhadresh Gohil in May 2002, citing adultery and unreasonable behaviour. At the time, she agreed to a financial settlement worth £270,000 and the family Peugeot, despite harbouring concerns that her husband had not fully disclosed the extent of his finances.
Twenty-four years later, those suspicions have been vindicated.
In a landmark High Court ruling, Mrs Gohil has now been awarded £6.6 million from assets linked to a fortune estimated at £28 million, bringing to a close a legal battle that has reshaped family law and reinforced the courts’ determination to tackle dishonesty during divorce proceedings.
The extraordinary case has travelled through multiple courts, including the Supreme Court, and centred on allegations that assets were deliberately concealed through complex corporate structures spanning several countries.
Mrs Gohil began gathering evidence in 2007 after becoming increasingly convinced that she had been misled during the original financial settlement negotiations.
Her campaign gathered momentum after her former husband was convicted in 2011 of fraud, money laundering and related offences. Prosecutors alleged that millions of pounds had been laundered through his firm’s client account.
The case reached a defining moment in 2015 when the Supreme Court ruled that financial settlements could be reopened where they had been based on fraudulent or incomplete disclosure.
The judgment was hailed as a major victory for fairness in family law, confirming that parties who conceal assets cannot necessarily rely on a settlement remaining final.
However, the legal battle was far from over.
A key dispute remained over the ownership of a £28 million fortune and whether it should be considered part of the matrimonial assets.
Mr Gohil argued that the wealth did not belong to him and therefore should not form part of any divorce settlement. Meanwhile, the Crown Prosecution Service maintained that the entire sum represented the proceeds of crime and should remain subject to confiscation proceedings.
After examining years of evidence, Mr Justice Williams rejected both arguments in full.
Instead, the High Court found that while some assets were linked to criminal activity, prosecutors had failed to prove that the entire fortune had been unlawfully obtained. The judge concluded that a significant proportion of the businesses and assets had been legitimately acquired during the marriage and should therefore be treated as matrimonial property.
As a result, Mrs Gohil was awarded £6.6 million.
Legal experts say the case will be remembered as one of the most significant family law decisions of recent decades.
The ruling sends a clear message that settlements obtained through dishonesty are vulnerable to challenge, regardless of how much time has passed.
The case also highlights the importance of full and frank financial disclosure during divorce proceedings. Courts rely on accurate information relating to property, savings, investments, businesses, pensions, income and debts when determining a fair settlement.
Lawyers involved in the case said the outcome demonstrates that attempts to conceal wealth can ultimately prove costly, leading to settlements being overturned, lengthy litigation and substantial financial penalties.
For Mrs Gohil, the judgment marks the end of a 24-year pursuit of justice.
What began as a £270,000 divorce settlement has culminated in a £6.6 million award and a legal precedent that could influence divorce cases for generations to come.
