Advocate Gaurishanker says he drafted Priyamvada's will

The legal battle between R S Lodha and the Birlas took a new turn today with the scribe of Priyamvada Birla's will coming forward.

V Gaurishanker, senior advocate of the Supreme Court of India, today filed an SLP in the Supreme Court of India, to dismiss the criminal case filed at the behest of the Birlas against him.

Gourishanker said he did not expect the Calcutta High Court to send the matter back to trial and prolong the disposal of the case.

The 83-year-old Gourishanker said he decided to approach the Supreme Court directly for intervention in the matter.

Gourishanker dismissed the criminal charges levied by Birlas as pressure tactics and alleged in his petition that the complainant in the criminal case, R P Pansari, had been given a job in a Birla company at a salary of Rs 1.75 lakh per month within days of filing of the complaint.

Gourishanker said the dissatisfaction of M P Birla over division of the Birla empire was well known and that the relationship between Birla families after the death of G D Birla was bad.

He said Priyamvada Birla had faith, trust and confidence on R S Lodha.

She was also confident that Lodha would keep the M P Birla flag flying high, independent and distinct from other Birla Groups, he said in his petition.

He cited specific instruction given to him by Priyamvada Birla for drafting her will and stated that the will produced in the probate proceedings and in the criminal complaint was the one he had drafted.

Gourishanker, a former public servant, was earlier adviser to the erstwhile Economic Administration Reforms Commission, also known as the L K Jha Commission.

An expert in tax jurisprudence, he has been practicing taxation matters over two decades before the Supreme Court.

He had represented the Government of India in the Nizam's jewellery case and the Bhopal gas tragedy case.

He said he had become close to both M P Birla and Priyamvada Birla since 1956 as a personal adviser and board member of many of their companies.

He said it was Priyamvada Birla's wish that the M P Birla Group remained independent and grow and prosper in the years ahead without the interference of family members.

He said till now the Birlas had been arguing that R S Lodha had tricked Priyamvada Birla into signing the will and that she had had no legal advice regarding the will.

Gaurishanker's revelation would weaken the argument that Priyamvada's will was forged, claimed sources.