Lodha files defamation suit against Birlas

The legal tussle between the Birlas and Lodha has taken another turn with Lodha filing a Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) defamation suit against the Birlas for alleged statements made against him.

The civil defamation case has been filed in the court of Justice Aniruddha Bose of Calcutta High Court and the court has already directed the two parties to file affidavits regarding the matter, Lodha's solicitor Debanjan Mondal told PTI.

Birla patriarch Basant Kumar Birla and several others, including a PR company of the Birlas, were made respondents in the case, he said.

The petition sought an injunction from the court, restraining the Birlas from issuing defamatory words and statements against Lodha.

The matter would come up for hearing on November 27. The Birlas and Lodha are engaged in a bitter legal battle for the control of the Rs 5000 crore (Rs 50 billion)  assets of the M P Birla group after the death of Priyamvada Birla in July 2004.

Lodha's claim that the entire estate has been bequeathed to him by a purported will of Priyamvada made in 1999 was challenged by the Birlas claiming that the entire estate should go to charities as per a mutual will of M P Birla and Priyamvada made in 1982.