Widow wins High Court fight over £1m-plus estate

A High Court judge has ruled that a businessman could not leave his £1m-plus estate solely to his sons, ignoring his wife and four daughters.

Mr Justice Peel heard that Karnail Singh, who died in 2021, wanted to leave his estate “solely down the male line”.

Detailing his decision in a written ruling, the judge stated that “reasonable provision” had clearly not been made for 83-year-old widow Harbans Kaur, despite her being married to Mr Singh for 66 years and the couple having seven children, one of whom had previously died.

“By [a] will, dated 25 June 2005, the estate was left in equal shares to two of the children… the sons of the claimant and the deceased,” Judge Peel wrote.

“The reason why the will was crafted in these terms, excluding the claimant and the other four siblings, was because the deceased wished to leave his estate solely down the male line.

“It seems to me that this is the clearest possible case entitling me to conclude that reasonable provision has not been made for the claimant.”

The judge added that Mrs Kaur, who was living on state benefits of around £12,000 per year, was entitled to 50 per cent of the net value of Mr Singh’s estate.

Jessika Bhatti, a senior associate at Meadows Ryan Solicitors, who represented Mrs Kaur, said the ruling would have wider legal consequences.

“This judgment has opened the door to many other families and individuals who find themselves in similar circumstances,” she told the PA News agency.

“My client’s age, ill health and acute financial needs were the driving force behind this case, and it is with great honour that our legal system was able to overturn an injustice.

“The case will now act as a precedent to ensure the most vulnerable individuals seek justice at the earliest opportunity without enduring the unpleasantries of a trial.”