Birlas say Lodha facing criminal breach of trust

Kolkata, June 14 (UNI) The battle of ''will'' between the Birlas and auditor R S Lodha took a very interesting turn with Calcutta High first appointing administrators last month to run the much-talked-about M P Birla empire and then staying the order on the very same day.

Both Birlas and Mr Lodha's solicitors locked horns to justify the order in their favour after a two-judge bench of the high court extended the stay till the completion of Mr Lodha's appeal challenging the stay.

Birlas' solicitor N G Khaitan today read out before mediapersons the Calcutta High Court's 19 May judgement restraining auditor R S Lodha to run the M P Birla empire running in Arabs.

Mr Khaitan wondered how Mr Lodha could run the M P Birla group when the bench of Justice Kalyanjyoti Sengupta said, '' It is difficult for the court to allow a person who is the acused to control and manage huge and vast estate of the deceased when he facing charge of criminal breach of trust , not qua executor. '' ''I do not know where from Lodha is meeting the costs and expenses to fight the good number of litigations. The criminal charge levelled against him is a personal charge and this charge is related to and is in connecion with the breach of trust which is alleged to have taken place during the lifetime of the Priyamvada but after her death, '' the judgement says.

''Hence I appoint joint administrator , pendente lite,'' Justice Sengupta held.

Criticising the Birlas' manner in which the judgement was revealed to the reporters, Mr Lodha's office said, ''It is most unfortunate that the order passed by Justice Sengupta, the effect of which has been stayed by the Appeal Court is being sought to be analysed in the media by the parties to the judicial proceedings or on their behalf.'' The Birlas and Mr Lodha were locked in the legal battle when Mr Lodha disclosed after M P Birla's widow Priyamvada's death about two years ago that he had been bequeathed the M P Birla empire by a will of 1999.

UNI XC SJC SY ND1916