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Burying the Hatchet: SC Pushes for Peace in ₹1 Lakh Crore Kalyani Family Feud
In a significant judicial push to resolve one of India's most complex and long-running business family disputes, the has appointed former apex court judge Justice L. Nageswara Rao to mediate the inheritance battle between industrialist Babasaheb Neelkanth Kalyani and his sister, Sugandha Hiremath.
The courtroom atmosphere on , was one of firm persuasion. A bench led by the Chief Justice of India, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, urged the estranged siblings to move beyond , emphasizing that the time had come to "bury the hatchet" and focus on preserving family ties rather than exhausting resources in protracted legal battles.
A Decade of Discord The dispute has simmered for over a decade, involving a web of across various courts in Mumbai, Pune, Wai, and Karad. At the heart of the matter is the ownership of assets valued at over ₹1 lakh crore, which the Hiremath side claims form part of a estate.
The primary point of contention stems from an alleged family arrangement regarding equity in the specialty chemicals company . Sugandha Hiremath and her husband, Jaidev Hiremath, argue that they are entitled to a specific transfer of shares that would grant them majority voting rights in the company. The Kalyani faction, led by the chairman of , has denied the existence of any such legally enforceable agreement, leading to a standstill that has now seen multiple judicial proceedings, including .
The Power of
Despite opposition from the respondent side, who pointed to the failure of previous
attempts, the Chief Justice remained resolute. Noting that
"sometimes ego is more than assets,"
the bench highlighted that
often succeeds when stalwarts are brought in to facilitate dialogue, even after initial failures.
The Supreme Court’s intervention effectively stays the proceedings at the —specifically the ongoing arguments on an application under —to allow the process to proceed unhindered.
Core Legal Reasoning: Observations from the Bench The Court’s order underscores a shift toward in high-stakes family matters. Key observations from the bench during the hearing included:
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"You may have said no to earlier but when Court No. 1 of the Supreme Court requests, will you not heed it?"
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"There cannot be a hostile approach to ."
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"Sometimes ego is more than assets... I am sure will succeed."
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" can be successful when stalwarts from either side step in and help."
What Lies Ahead The parties are expected to contact Justice L. Nageswara Rao immediately to commence the process, with a two-week window established for these discussions. By mandating this step, the Supreme Court has signaled that it prefers a holistic, amicable resolution for the Kalyani family over a narrow legalistic judgment that might leave relationships—and perhaps corporate stability—terminally fractured.
While the legal outcome remains tied to the success of this , the court’s decision is being closely watched by India's corporate sector. The move underscores a growing trend where the judiciary attempts to shepherd business families away from the adversarial court system, particularly when the underlying conflict threatens the legacy of industrial empires. The matter is set to return to the Supreme Court on , to assess whether the "miracle of " has brought the parties closer to a settlement.
