Birla's counsel questions Lodha's credibility

Kolkata, Nov 15 (UNI) Counsel for the Birla family S B Mookherjee today questioned the credibility and integrity of R S Lodha, purportedly bequeathed with the assets of M P Birla group by late Priyamvada Birla.

Mr Mookherjee was submitting before a Division Bench of Calcutta High Court comprising Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Tapan Kumar Dutta.

He also cited the order of Company Law Board against the omission of the name of Priyamvada Birla from and entry of the name of Lodha as Executor in the Register of Members of East India Investment Company Private Limited.

Mr Mookherjee went on to state that the four keys, supposedly handed over to Lodha by Priyamvada Birla before she was admitted to Belle Vue, neither was used to open any room nor any almirah.

This apart, when inventory by the Special Officers commenced, pursuant to an application filed by the Birlas, Lodha did not disclose the existence of a strong room at Birla Park, he alleged.

Mr Mookherjee submitted that the estate of Priyamvada Devi Birla is vast and it was only on an application for appointment of Special Officers that a veritable treasure trove was unearthed.

''It is an unnatural Will where the natural heirs had been excluded in favour of a rank outsider,'' he submitted.

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