The Hindu : Business : 'Birla estates are not HUF property'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 25, 2004

Business

Business

'Birla estates are not HUF property'

By Our Special Correspondent

KOLKATA, AUG. 24. Rajendra Singh Lodha has maintained in his reply to the Birlas' affidavit that the Birla family property was seggregated long ago and it is no longer a Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) property.

The reply has been sent by Fox & Mandal, Mr. Singh's solicitors, to Khaitan & Company, solicitors to the Birlas.

The affidavit-in-opposition responds to the ones filed by the Birlas about ten days ago. However, the affidavit would be filed tomorrow thus completing the process asked for by Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta who is scheduled to hear on August 25, the petition filed by Mr. Lodha seeking to discharge the caveat petitions of four members of the Birla family. Debanjan Mandal of Fox & Mandal said that the affidavit would be filed tomorrow. The case is set for hearing in the post-lunch session in Calcutta High Court.

In his affidavit Mr. Lodha has disputed the claim of the Birlas that the property is a HUF property saying that as no document was filed in support of the Birlas' claim to this effect, this stand cannot be accepted and therefore apart from late M. P. Birla's two sisters, no one has any locus standi to file a caveat petition.

He has also maintained that the property was separated through seggregation of the group companies and it is no longer a large Birla conglomerate, hence late M. P. Birla's assets have a separate legal status.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Business