Macrotech accuses HoABL of using fabricated documents to misuse Lodha brand

Realty firm Macrotech Developers Ltd on Wednesday alleged that House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL) has used "fabricated documents" to misuse the company's brand and registered trademark 'Lodha'.

Abhishek Lodha led Macrotech Developers and the HoABL, formed by his younger brother Abhindan Lodha, are fighting a legal dispute over the use of the brand 'Lodha'.

In January, Macrotech Developers filed a suit in the Bombay High Court against HoABL for infringement of its trademarks and sought appropriate injunctions, reliefs, and damages.

Macrotech Developers, which sells properties under the 'Lodha' brand, is one of the leading real estate firms in the country, while the HoABL is into the development of residential plots across major cities.

In a regulatory filing, Macrotech Developers said that the board has taken "serious cognizance of the conspiracy to use fabricated documents in order to misuse the company's goodwill, brand, and registered trademark."  The Board has constituted a Special Committee of Directors to look into this and take appropriate legal action, it added.

Abhishek Lodha has requested not to be part of this Committee, and the same has been accepted, the filing said.

Macrotech Developers alleged that "certain HoABL entities have used purported Board Resolution(s) (BRs) of the company containing a no objection for use of the company's trademarks and filed the same with government authorities."  "No board meeting of the company has been held on the date which is stated in these BRs and the Company's Board has never considered or approved such BRs in any of its meetings whatsoever," it added.

Such BRs filed with the governmental authorities have a signature of the company's one Independent Director, the company said, adding that "This signature is not his signature and is significantly different from his true signature."  To support their application, PAN Card copy of the said Independent Director was attached. On comparison against the actual PAN Card of the said Independent Director, it is seen that his signature and photograph have been changed.

"The said Independent Director of the Company has also confirmed that he has not certified any such BRs, the signature on the said BRs is not his, and the PAN Card Copy attached is different from his actual PAN Card," Macrotech said.

The company further alleged that the boards of at least two HoABL firms approved and procured a change in their corporate names to the names starting with 'LODHA' from the relevant government authorities, using the above-referred documents and used the changed name of these companies for furtherance of their business activities.