Pune: Two children of the younger sister of Bharat Forge chairman-managing director Baba Kalyani have moved a mediation application before a Pune court in a civil suit claiming a right in the group's assets.
Petitioners Sameer Hiremath and niece Pallavi Anish Swadi are the children of Sugandha Hiremath, the younger sister of Kalyani.
"Sameer Hiremath and his sister Pallavi Swadi told the court they were willing to mediate with their uncle as they were deeply anguished by mud slinging in court. Their counsel told the court Baba Kalyani's claims against the elders in the family were very disturbing and harming the reputation of the family," a statement issued by the petitioners said.
As soon as advocate Shailendra Aglawe, appearing for the siblings, tabled the option of mediation before Joint Civil Judge Senior Division SS Shinde, Baba Kalyani's counsel Amit Agashe vehemently refuted any talks of settlement or mediation, the statement said.
The court eventually accepted the request for mediation, the statement from Hiremath and Swadi claimed.
The siblings had approached Pune civil court earlier this year seeking partition of Kalyani family assets as Hindu Undivided Family (HUF).
"In response, Baba Kalyani filed a reply denying the very existence of any family HUF. He also told the court the siblings had no right in any family wealth by virtue of being children of Sugandha Hiremath. More importantly, he claimed his grandfather Annappa Naryan Kalyani (ANK) was not a wealthy man and earned mere Rs 2 salary per month," the statement said.
Moreover, ANK gave just Rs 2 lakh at the time of his death to his son Neelkanth Annappa Kalyani (NAK), who is Baba Kalyani and Sugandha's father, the statement said, adding Hiremath and Swadi had taken offence to their great grandfather Annappa Narayan Kalyani being called a pauper by Baba Kalyani.
In a reply filed in a Pune court on Monday, Sameer Hiremath and Pallavi Swadi nee Hiremath, accused the industrialist of perjury. They stated in their rejoinder that Baba Kalyani has lied under oath by making several "false statements".
A counter statement issued by the spokesperson of the Kalyani Group said Sameer Hiremath and Pallavi Swadi, having filed a frivolous suit before the Pune local court seeking partition of alleged properties of Kalyani family HUF, have now sought permission of the court to permit mediation of the dispute.
"The proposal to mediate in the pending dispute itself demonstrates that both have no cause of action in filing the partition suit. Both petitioners have been indulging in making malicious attempts to defame certain named family members," the Kalyani group statement asserted.
Published 22 July 2024, 19:09 IST