Sanghi brothers, promoters of Rs 2,500-crore Sanghi Group, who are fighting a protracted battle for control of group companies, began fresh negotiations, even as Sudhir Sanghi lodged a case of manhandling against younger sibling Girish.
Ravi Sanghi, one of the promoters, today said the brothers might reach a settlement in less than a month. The four brothers are split into two groups with Girish and Ravi Sanghi on one side, fighting against Sudhir and Anand Sanghi. The battle between the two groups took an ugly turn yesterday, as elder brother Sudhir Sanghi filed a case of manhandling against Girish, a former Congress Member of Parliament, in a city police station.
On December 15, the Andhra Pradesh High Court revoked the order of Company Law Board (CLB) Bench, Chennai, which had suspended the board of directors of Sanghi Polyesters, and allowed the board to function. Sudhir Sanghi, in his complaint to the police said he, along with wife Usha and son Siddharth, went to Sanghi Polyesters with an order from the Andhra Pradesh High Court. However, he was allegedly prevented by Girish and was manhandled.
Talking about the possible settlement, Ravi Sanghi said, “This is no more a family affair. These are issues related to company, and its functioning. It (the settlement) could be an asset division, or some asset and some cash, or a total compensation. Last week, we had almost finalised. No one is mediating. Our family members are doing it ourselves.”
He said the brothers might reach the final settlement in 15 days to a month. Each of the four brothers has an equal stake (25 per cent) in the family enterprises. Several cases are also pending before the CLB and other courts challenging the ownership and management of the companies.
Balaram Jakhar, former Lok Sabha Speaker, was said to have mediated to bring about some settlement among brothers two years ago, but without success. Ravi Sanghi said as soon as the settlement was reached, police cases and all other cases filed against one another might be withdrawn. Apart from polyesters, the group has interests in cement, textiles, SEZ and publications.