MUMBAI: The warring Lodha brothers Abhishek and Abhinandan have 'amicably settled' disputes over the use of the 'Lodha' brand.
Abhishek runs Macrotech Developers, and the younger one, Abhinandan owns a plotted development firm, House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL).
The brothers have been publicly making allegations against each other for the past many years. It also led to their mother making a 'public appeal' to end the disputes after the mediation by retired justice RV Raveendran, appointed by the Bombay High Court, also failed.
In identical statements issued separately on April 14, the brothers said they have 'amicably' resolved all outstanding disputes under the guidance of their parents.
The statements further said the parties have agreed that Macrotech Developers is the owner of Lodha and Lodha Group and has the exclusive right to use the brand name Lodha and Lodha Group.
It also stated that Abhinandan is the owner of House of Abhinandan Lodha and has the exclusive right to use the brand name House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL).
The brothers have also agreed that Lodha Group and HoABL have no connection with each other.
Abhishek and his firm, Macrotech, had filed a brand infringement suit in January against Abhinandan and HoABL, accusing them of using the Lodha brand for its plotted development projects in Goa, Ayodhya, and elsewhere.
The elder brother had also accused the younger one of fraud and forgery and sought to stop HoABL from using the brand name, apart from demanding Rs 5,000 crore in damages in its filing at the Bombay High Court.
In its response, HoABL denied it had used the brand Lodha for its projects, and the examples cited by Macrotech were used only by third parties for which HoABL should not be held responsible.
It also said that Abhinandan and HoABL had also followed the family settlement signed between the brothers in 2017.
The statements also said the settlement follows the mediation offered by retired justice RV Raveendran and to Bombay High Court justice Arif Doctor.
The brothers parted ways after the family agreed to a division of the group between the two sons in 2018.
The roots of the conflict trace back to 2015, when Abhinandan split from the group to start his own independent business.
The separation was formalised through the 2017 family agreement, but tensions resurfaced in recent years over the continued use of the Lodha trademark.