Mumbai: In another twist in the legal battle involving Bharat Forge chairman Baba Kalyani and his sister Sugandha Hiremath, the Bombay high court on Monday allowed Sugandha’s children to amend their lawsuit. The HC order enables them to seek a restraint on voting rights attached to shares of Kalyani Group companies that were acquired using funds from the Kalyani Hindu Undivided Family (HUF). The court also granted permission to Sugandha’s children Sameer Hiremath and his sister Pallavi Swadi to include the request to appoint an administrator to decide on the voting rights of those shares, considering their interests, in their amended suit. At present, Baba Kalyani and his family exercise voting rights over Bharat Forge and Kalyani Steels shares that were acquired or subscribed to through Kalyani HUF funds.The latest order, which overturned a ruling by a Pune court, does not mean Sugandha’s children have obtained voting rights on those shares or have gained administrative oversight of those assets. These matters will be determined by the HC. According to the Hiremaths, Kalyani Group’s assets, including shares and immovable properties originated from and belong to the Kalyani HUF, rather than being solely owned by individual family members. A Kalyani Group spokesperson said: “The order is purely procedural and reflects settled law permitting a party to seek relief. It grants no substantive relief to the Hiremaths in relation to voting rights or property, as is being suggested.”
