The Kalyani Group plans to file a defamation suit against Sameer Hiremath and Pallavi Swadi, for maligning the image of Kalyani group chairman Baba Kalyani, according to the reports.

In an ongoing Kalyani family dispute, now Baba Kalyani’s niece Pallavi Anish Swadi and nephew Sameer Hiremath filed a case against him in the Pune District and Session court demanding a share in the group’s assets.

It includes shares of several listed and private limited companies under the Kalyani Group: Bharat Forge, Kalyani Steels Limited and Kalyani Consultants. Sameer Hiremath and Pallavi Anish Swadi have a share in Kalyani Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) assets, they said, reported Hindustan Times.

The Kalyani Group plans to file a defamation suit against Sameer Hiremath and Pallavi Swadi, for maligning the image of Kalyani group chairman Baba Kalyani, according to the Times Of India report.

What Is Dispute Between The Kalyani Family?

The Family dispute between Sugandha Hiremath, the sister of the Bharat Forge chairman and managing director,Baba Kalyani, has been going on for a long time. 

The group is a Hindu undivided family, after the death of the group’s matriarch Sulochana Kalyani,Sugandha had moved the Bombay High Court in March 2023, against Baba Kalyani and the family asking for the implementation of a family settlement reached in 1994, under which they were to gain the control of pharma and biotech firm Hikal.

In the petition they also claimed that they are unaware of the total size of the assets and properties held by the HUF. According to some reports, apart from its movable and immovable properties, the market capitalization of the group’s eight listed companies, including Bharat Forge, at over Rs 69,000 crore. 

Why Baba Kalyani’s Niece, Nephew Move To The Court?

The suit by Sameer and Pallavi mentions that their great-grandfather Annappa Kalyani, the family’s joint assets and funds were used for various businesses. His son Neelkanth (Sugandha and Baba’s father) continued as the manager of the family assets after Annappa’s death in 1954, and later on Baba Kalyani took over in 2011 after the deterioration of his father’s health.

In the suit, Sameer and Pallavi claimed that Baba’s has an authoritarian and non-cooperative attitude for differences in the joint family and subsequent litigations in different courts.

The suit added that, there have been multiple agreements signed between the Kalyani family, but none of them have ended the Kalyani Family HUF and amendment to the Hindu Succession Act in 2005 makes the daughter get the same right as a son, and make Sugandha as a coparcener.

Bharat Forge Reaction On Kalyani Family Dispute

A Bharat Forge spokesperson alleged that the petitioners intend to “malign” the image of Baba Kalyani through the claims and added that they went to the media even before serving it on the defendants.

“As and when the suit is served on us, we will defend our position before the court of law, including initiating appropriate civil/criminal defamation proceedings for tarnishing the image of Kalyani, his family and the Group,” the spokesperson added.

(With Inputs From PTI)