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Mafatlal family feud approaches end
The Mafatlal family feud seems to have come to an end with Madhuri withdrawing a lawsuit against her stepson, reports Urvi Mahajani.
The Mafatlal family feud seems to have come to an end with matriarch Madhuri withdrawing a lawsuit against her stepson, Atulya.
The Bombay High Court in April allowed Madhuri to withdraw a suit she had filed against Atulya in September 2005 after imposing cost (of the entire lawsuit) on her. The cost amount is yet to be ascertained.
Madhuri’s counsel RD Soni told the HC she wanted to withdraw the suit against Atulya as the dispute involving the family’s jewellery worth Rs 28 lakh was settled.
She had approached the High Court seeking clarification regarding the distribution of the jewellery in the two family trusts Atulya Family Trust no 6 and Atulya Family Trust no 7.
Soni said since Madhuri had already handed over the said jewellery in March 2007 to Atulya, his wife Sheetal and their two grandchildren, the suit does need not be kept pending.
However, Atulya’s counsel Cherag Balsara opposed the withdrawal saying the trust also managed shares that had yet to be distributed.
Soni countered that if Atulya had grievances regarding the alleged shares in the trusts, he could file a separate suit. “He cannot oppose withdrawal when the plaintiff (Madhuri) is asking for unconditional withdrawal,” Soni said.
Upholding Soni’s arguments, justice SR Sathe allowed Madhuri to withdraw the suit saying the “plaintiff (Madhuri) may abandon suit in part or toto”.
The feud started after the late Yogindra Mafatlal formed two trusts for the jewellery worth Rs 28 lakh in 1973. The jewellery, which was in Madhuri’s possession, was to be distributed equally to Atulya, Sheetal and his (Yogindra’s) two minor children (Varun and Maharushka) from his first wife after the expiry of the trust in January 2006.
Madhuri approached the HC questioning whether Atulya was a trustee of the family trusts formed Yogindra and whether he was entitled to the jewellery in the trusts.
