Friday, March 11 2005 15:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: In a crucial victory for Rajinder Lodha in his fight against the Birlas for the estate of M P Birla the Calcutta High Court today (Mar 11, 2005) dismissed three caveats from the Birla side with regard to the 1999 Will of Priyamvada Birla.

Justice Kalyanjyoti Sengupta in his order held that K K Birla, B K Birla and Yasowardhan Birla, had no caveatable interest in the matter.

The court, however, admitted the caveatable interest of G P Birla.

On the other hand, the court also admitted Lodha's caveatable interest in the 1982 Will of M P Birla.

The court ordered that it would hear first the probate application for the 1982 Will of M P Birla and 1999 Will of Priyamvada Birla.

Lodha, a chartered accountant is engaged in a legal battle with the Birla family for the control of the Rs 5000 crore worth estate of M P Birla on the basis of Priyamvada Birla's Will.

Priyamvada Birla, who died in July last year (2004) has bequeathed the entire estate of M P Birla to Lodha by the purported Will of 1999.

The Birlas challenged it claiming that the entire estate should go to charities as per a mutual Will of M P Birla and Priyamvada Birla made in 1982.