The two brothers agreed to find a middle ground on 31 January, when the new directions were issued by the Bombay High Court. Earlier in January, the court encouraged the two sides to carry forward a cordial resolution, and on Friday, the brothers expressed their desire to participate in the arbitration before a single bench led by Justice Arif Doctor.
The court appointed former Supreme Court Justice RV Revendran to serve as a mediator and indicated that efforts should be made to terminate the proceedings within five weeks. The court said that if the mediator sees any positive development, the deadline can be extended.
According to agreements, Abhishek is the owner of Lodha -led Macrotech Developers Limited (MDL), and has a special right to use it, brand names 'Losha' and 'Lodha Group'.
Abhinandan Lodha has been given unique right to use the brand name 'House of Abhinandan Lodha' (“Hobel”).
In addition, the agreement states that 'Lodha Group' and 'House of Abhinandan Lodha' have no connection with each other. Both institutions will communicate it widely. Abhinandan has no rights or claims in the Lodha Group or MDL or other businesses of Abhishek, while Abhishek has no rights or claims in Abhinandan's Hobel or other businesses.
The statement said that the family is grateful to the Honorable Justice Arif Doctor for encouraging the family to follow the process of mediation. They appreciate their honesty for all the elders and well -wishers of the family, who offered their lawyers and support in the resolution process.
A bitter family quarrel
The roots of the conflict came back in 2015, when Abhinandan Lodha separated from the Loshha group to start her independent business. Separation was formalized through the 2017 family agreement, but the tension resumed in recent years on the continuous use of the 'Lodha' trademark.
Macrotech developers escaped a legal battle when the Macrotech developers shifted to the Bombay High Court, alleging trademark violation by House of Abhinandan Lodha. Macrotech claimed that the use of the name of Rarendan created confusion in the market and demanded Rs 5,000 crore for the loss.
Abhishek Lodha had earlier described the controversy as a “very painful case”, but assured investors and stakeholders that it would have no effect on the operation of macrotech developers. The company remains one of the largest real estate players in India, with projects running in major cities.
