CHENNAI: The family feud at the multi-crore Chettinad group of companies took another ugly turn on Sunday, with patriarch MAM Ramaswamy and his foster-son MAMR Muthiah levelling allegations against each other after a midnight assault on the sprawling family estate Chettinad Palace at MRC Nagar here.
According to Ramaswamy, his foster-son and MD of Chettinad Cement, Muthiah, had sent 30-40 goons armed with logs on the intervening night of Sunday. When they attacked his house, furniture was damaged and his servant Lakshmanan was injured, said Ramaswamy. Lakshmanan had to undergo treatment after suffering a head injury.
“Ninety per cent of my erstwhile assets are already taken. Now, Muthiah wants to kill me and usurp the estate and the remaining 10 per cent,” Ramaswamy said, in two separate press briefings.
Ramaswamy is the eldest in the family of legendary merchant prince, Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar, and Muthiah was adopted by Ramaswamy about 20 years ago.
A complaint was filed with the local police station and officers inspected the spot during the wee hours. Television visuals showed one of Ramaswamy’s staffers sporting a bandage on his head as well as damaged furniture inside the house. Lakshmanan reportedly visited the Royapettah hospital to undergo treatment for his injury.