Gautam Singhania, caught in marital acrimony, announces separation on Instagram

Modi-Singhania has alleged that Gautam Singhania physically assaulted her on his 58th birthday in September which landed her in the ICU.

Mumbai: Gautam Hari Singhania, chairman and managing director of Raymond Group, announced on Monday that he had separated from his wife and partner of 32 years, Nawaz Modi Singhania, bringing the curtain down on a bitter marital spat that has consumed the attention of Mumbai’s swish set for the last two months.

Singhania’s announcement through a post on Instagram came a day after a series of videos posted by Nawaz Modi-Singhania sitting on a dharna outside the gates of JK Gram in Thane gained wide circulation (HT Archives)

Singhania’s announcement through a post on Instagram came a day after a series of videos posted by Nawaz Modi-Singhania sitting on a dharna outside the gates of JK Gram in Thane gained wide circulation. She claimed in the videos that the security at the Singhania headquarter had refused her entry into a Diwali party hosted by her husband, and to which she had been invited. Modi-Singhania who arrived for the party in a wheel chair can be heard speaking on camera saying the refusal by the security staff was the last straw “with everything that I have been through and kept quiet about all this time.”

Modi-Singhania has alleged that Gautam Singhania physically assaulted her on his 58th birthday in September which landed her in the ICU of the Sir HN Reliance Hospital with broken bones in her lower back. The couple have since been estranged with the fight now heading to mediators for division of assets. The Raymond Group is a ₹5700 crore company and Nawaz Modi-Singhania is a director in at least 10 of the private and publicly-listed companies of the Singhania family.

In her complaint to the Vartak Nagar police in Thane, Nawaz told the police that Singhania had not just misbehaved with his parents and siblings in the past but that he had physically assaulted her at their house two months ago leading to her hospitalisation. In her complaint she also told the police that she was now worried about the future of her two minor daughters. The Vartak police later told HT that they had taken her complaint as routine procedure and any action would be pursuant to an investigation.

The day after the incident at JK Gram, Singhania who has been focusing on expanding his realty business, announced the news of their separation. “This Diwali is not going to be the same as many in the past. 32 years of being together as a couple, growing as parents and always being source of strength for each other... We traversed with commitment, resolve, faith, as along came the two most beautiful additions of our life. It is my belief that Nawaz and I will pursue different paths from here. I am parting ways with her while we continue to do what is the best for our two precious diamonds, Niharika and Nisa,” he said referring to their daughters.

While Gautam Singhania remained unavailable for further comment, Nawaz Modi-Singhania said her first priority was her two daughters and that she was seeking all possible legal help.