Tuesday, May 24 2005 08:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Lakshmidevi Newar, sister of Mahdhav Prasad Birla, who was one of the petitioners in the legal battle for the estate of M P Birla died in Kolkata yesterday (May 23, 2005).

Lakshmidevi who was suffering from cancer died early morning, according to family sources.

She was 85 and is survived by two sons.

Lakshmidevi and her sister Radhadevi Mohta had earlier filed caveats against the probate petition of Rajender Lodha for legal authentication of the purported Will of Priyamvada Birla.

The caveats by the two sisters had already been admitted by the Calcutta High Court along with the caveat of G P Birla, while the caveats by three other Birla family members, K K Birla, B K Birla and Yashowardhan Birla had been dismissed.

The three Birlas, however, had challenged the dismissal of their caveats.

Rajender Lodha had claimed that the entire estate of M P Birla worth Rs 5000 crore had been bequeathed to him by Priyamvada Birla who died in July last year.

The entire Birla clan, including the two sisters of M P Birla had challenged Lodha's claim and the matter in pending before the court.