Until last week, the name Amogh Shyamkant Kaloti meant little outside Maharashtra's close-knit legal circles. A low-profile man with a lawyer's diction and a bureaucrat's precise demeanour, Kaloti spent two decades climbing the judicial ladder from Amravati's district courts to the helm of the Maharashtra public trust office. But now, the judge-turned-Charity Commissioner of Maharashtra finds himself in the glare of public and media interest as he prepares, like a modern Helen of Troy, for intense courting by titans.
His office, at least for some time, will be the ground zero of the closely watched dispute between Tata Trusts, the charitable bodies that control India's largest business group, and Mehli Mistry, an erstwhile insider who was voted out by fellow trustees last week when his tenure ended at two key trusts.
Mistry has approached Kaloti's office, asking that no changes be made to the Trusts' roster without first hearing his side of the story.
The Charity Commissioner, a quasi-judicial authority established under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, of 1950, plays a crucial role in administering public trusts in Mumbai. The position is equivalent to that of a District Judge.
Kaloti, 49, is a quintessential public servant-matter of fact, well-versed with law and measured. Born in 1976 in Amravati, he studied arts and law locally, practised as an advocate, and later joined the judiciary in 2013. Over the next decade, he served across Maharashtra-Buldhana, Washim, Aurangabad and Mumbai, gathering along the way a reputation as a soft-spoken and cautious man.
He joined his current post on February 12, 2024 and has been at his work without much fanfare. Approving changes to trustees, verifying accounts, overseeing how charitable assets are used -his office's work is mostly procedural and the commissioner's seal, nearly always, is just another line on a compliance checklist.
The CC comes under the state government's Law and Judiciary Department, which is headed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Interestingly Fadnavis's mother, Sarita Fadnavis, is a descendant of the prominent Kaloti family of Amravati.
Until Friday last week, the corridors of Sasmira Building in Mumbai's upscale Worli neighbourhood-home to the Charity Commissioner's office-were quiet and routine. That changed once news of Mistry filing a caveat with his office spread. Within hours, the otherwise subdued office in Worli was abuzz with lawyers, journalists, and aides tracking the latest twist in one of India's most closely watched institutional disputes.
Under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950, every time something changes including appointment or resignation of a trustee, change in trust property or address or alteration of the trust's objectives, the trust must submit a change report, usually within 90 days. The report lets the commissioner's office verify and record the updated information in the public trust register.
Colleagues describe Kaloti as a meticulous judicial officer-one who rereads every clause before signing and insists on hearing all sides before arriving at a decision. Known for his measured temperament in handling routine disputes and petitions, he now finds himself at the centre of a far more complex challenge - one involving legacy institutions, high-stakes litigation, and mounting media scrutiny.
"While Kaloti is heading the office, the case itself will be heard by the Assistant Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner, as the case may be. An appeal can be made before the Charity Commissioner," said an official from the Charity Commissioner's office, requesting anonymity. "Given the sensitive nature of the matter, even the hearings before the junior charity commissioners are likely to take considerable time."
Ordinarily, the Charity Commissioner's office presents the appearance of a typical government establishment-the institutional-grade carpet has faded from long service; its waiting area sports the familiar parade of identical metal and plastic chairs. But in the coming months, this modest setting could witness exciting action.
Top lawyers from the country's leading firms are expected to crowd its corridors, arguing over the interpretation of clauses, trusts, and control-each side defending its legacy and influence. Yet, insiders say the outcome will not be determined at the Sasmira building alone, as both sides will likely litigate up the ladder of judicial resorts, all the way up to the final seat of justice in Tilak Marg, New Delhi.
His office, at least for some time, will be the ground zero of the closely watched dispute between Tata Trusts, the charitable bodies that control India's largest business group, and Mehli Mistry, an erstwhile insider who was voted out by fellow trustees last week when his tenure ended at two key trusts.
Mistry has approached Kaloti's office, asking that no changes be made to the Trusts' roster without first hearing his side of the story.
The Charity Commissioner, a quasi-judicial authority established under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, of 1950, plays a crucial role in administering public trusts in Mumbai. The position is equivalent to that of a District Judge.
Kaloti, 49, is a quintessential public servant-matter of fact, well-versed with law and measured. Born in 1976 in Amravati, he studied arts and law locally, practised as an advocate, and later joined the judiciary in 2013. Over the next decade, he served across Maharashtra-Buldhana, Washim, Aurangabad and Mumbai, gathering along the way a reputation as a soft-spoken and cautious man.
He joined his current post on February 12, 2024 and has been at his work without much fanfare. Approving changes to trustees, verifying accounts, overseeing how charitable assets are used -his office's work is mostly procedural and the commissioner's seal, nearly always, is just another line on a compliance checklist.
The CC comes under the state government's Law and Judiciary Department, which is headed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Interestingly Fadnavis's mother, Sarita Fadnavis, is a descendant of the prominent Kaloti family of Amravati.
Until Friday last week, the corridors of Sasmira Building in Mumbai's upscale Worli neighbourhood-home to the Charity Commissioner's office-were quiet and routine. That changed once news of Mistry filing a caveat with his office spread. Within hours, the otherwise subdued office in Worli was abuzz with lawyers, journalists, and aides tracking the latest twist in one of India's most closely watched institutional disputes.
Under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950, every time something changes including appointment or resignation of a trustee, change in trust property or address or alteration of the trust's objectives, the trust must submit a change report, usually within 90 days. The report lets the commissioner's office verify and record the updated information in the public trust register.
Colleagues describe Kaloti as a meticulous judicial officer-one who rereads every clause before signing and insists on hearing all sides before arriving at a decision. Known for his measured temperament in handling routine disputes and petitions, he now finds himself at the centre of a far more complex challenge - one involving legacy institutions, high-stakes litigation, and mounting media scrutiny.
"While Kaloti is heading the office, the case itself will be heard by the Assistant Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner, as the case may be. An appeal can be made before the Charity Commissioner," said an official from the Charity Commissioner's office, requesting anonymity. "Given the sensitive nature of the matter, even the hearings before the junior charity commissioners are likely to take considerable time."
Ordinarily, the Charity Commissioner's office presents the appearance of a typical government establishment-the institutional-grade carpet has faded from long service; its waiting area sports the familiar parade of identical metal and plastic chairs. But in the coming months, this modest setting could witness exciting action.
Top lawyers from the country's leading firms are expected to crowd its corridors, arguing over the interpretation of clauses, trusts, and control-each side defending its legacy and influence. Yet, insiders say the outcome will not be determined at the Sasmira building alone, as both sides will likely litigate up the ladder of judicial resorts, all the way up to the final seat of justice in Tilak Marg, New Delhi.
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