Lodha v/s Lodha: Rs 5000 crore family feud intensifies as mother intervenes
Manju Lodha urges sons Abhishek and Abhinandan to end trademark dispute, as Bombay High Court appoints mediator to resolve the Rs 5,000 crore legal battle.
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The high-profile dispute between real estate heirs Abhishek Lodha and Abhinandan Lodha has taken a dramatic turn, with their mother, Manju Lodha, stepping in to urge reconciliation, according to an ET report.
In a letter addressed to her sons, she has called for an immediate resolution to their differences, reminding them of the family agreement signed in 2017, which she believes should serve as the guiding document to settle the matter.
Her intervention comes at a critical juncture, as the Bombay High Court has appointed a mediator to facilitate an amicable resolution.
The legal tussle, which centres around the usage of the 'Lodha' trademark, has seen Abhishek Lodha's publicly listed Macrotech Developers sue House of Abhinandan Lodha for alleged trademark infringement.
Macrotech has accused Abhinandan of improperly using the 'Lodha' name, allegedly causing brand confusion, and is seeking Rs 5,000 crore in damages.
In her letter, Manju Lodha laid out six key directives for her sons, urging them to respect each other, keep their business affairs separate, and refrain from public disputes. She also reaffirmed that the final arrangement regarding their ownership rights had been legally recorded in the 2017 Amended Family Agreement.
She further implored them to honour the agreement and avoid interfering in each other’s ventures.
However, the dispute has been complicated by references to a 2023 family agreement in court documents, raising questions about whether new terms were introduced, the report added.
Abhishek Lodha welcomed his mother's intervention and reaffirmed his commitment to following her directives, the report added.
He reiterated that the 2017 agreement had clearly established Macrotech Developers' exclusive right to the 'Lodha' trademark.
He also urged Abhinandan to end the legal dispute by respecting the terms of the agreement and adopting a brand identity that does not create confusion with Macrotech’s established name.
In contrast, Abhinandan Lodha expressed disappointment that the letter had been made public. In an email statement released by his company, he suggested that it was being used to shape a "false narrative."
The origins of this dispute date back to 2015, when Abhinandan Lodha split from the Lodha Group to establish his own independent business. This separation was formalised through the 2017 family agreement, but tensions resurfaced in recent years over the continued use of the ‘Lodha’ name.
