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For the first time after separation from her billionaire husband, Nawaz Modi Singhania, the estranged wife of Raymond MD Gautam Singhania, has accused the industrialist of beating her and throwing her out of the company. In an exclusive interview with India Today, Nawaz Modi Singhania talked about a host of issues, including the Diwali party, where she was invited but was not allowed to get in, the videos of which went viral on social media.
Gautam has refused to comment on the fresh allegations. "In the interest of my two beautiful daughters, I would like to maintain my family's dignity and I will refrain from offering any comment. Please respect my privacy," he said. The billionaire announced separation from his wife Nawaz Modi on November 13, a day after Diwali. Nawaz has now sought 75 per cent of Raymond Group's Rs 11,000 crore empire.
Also Read: 'Gautam Singhania assaulted me and our daughter,' says Raymond boss' wife Nawaz Modi I EXCLUSIVE
Edited Excerpts
Q. The news of late has been hyperbolic. How did these events unfold?
The first incident happened on the 10th of September morning where Gautam beat up, smashed up, kicked, and punched his minor daughter Niharika and myself for something which felt like about 15 minutes...unrelentingly. This was around 5:00 in the morning, after his birthday party which was on the 9th of September. Even my two daughters had been present with some friends. He suddenly left the scene of the attack and disappeared. I could only imagine that he had gone to get his guns or weapons. I dragged my daughter into safety to another room. She went to get towels to support my back. I have had two hernia surgeries - one was during the time of my pregnancy and the other was because I had an ectopic pregnancy and had a fallopian tube removed, which resulted in another hernia. He knew that, and still flung me around the room several times. He was just going all out for Niharika and me, and we were just trying to protect each other.
Q. What triggered this assault?
He wanted to use my bathroom when I was using it. Now, he has two other bathrooms which are also touching our bedroom. Three more (bathrooms are) on the same floor and a 39-storey tower full of bathrooms. It was just about power and control. He has always thought Atulya Mafatlal (a businessman who passed away last year) to be a superhero. What Atulya did to his wife, how he threw his wife Payal Mafatlal out on the road when she went shopping. He had infamously locked her out of their bungalow. Nobody took her call, and no staff responded to her messages – nothing, nothing. She couldn't see her children; she couldn't get her clothes. So Gautam thinks, wow what a man! I mean ‘what power, what control, what strength...what a superhuman! It's something he's been wanting to do to me for a long time which I was aware of. I was kind of getting my head around what I would do when this happened to me! I just didn't realise he would do it to his daughters also.
Q. So how did you handle the assault, finally?
I took my daughter into another room, and we both took refuge in there and locked it up. She was hysterical, saying - "we have to call the police". I must have been in a daze, I was just sitting there. So she called the cops…I called my friend Ananya Goenka. She figured out the cops were not going to come – Gautam would have managed things around. Ananya said, "Me and Anant, (they run the Indian Express) – we will go to the cop station and come there".
Trishakar Bajaj and Gautam are first cousins. Their mothers are sisters. (Meenakshi Bajaj and Asha Singhania are sisters). So Trishakar’s son Vishwaroop, was also there. He is a good friend of my daughters. They are the same age. So she called him up, "Vishu come back, right now".
He knew the atmosphere in the house. She told him, make sure you bring your father with you – to liaise with Gautam. Before I knew it, Nita Ambani was on the line with me, and Anant Ambani was on the line with me. The whole family had jumped in. Thank God for that, because Gautam was telling Niharika, "The cops are not going to help you. Everyone is in my pocket." So Niharika got even more distraught, and I told her to just calm down, we are getting help. Gautam did stop the cops from coming, but the Ambanis made sure they came.
Q. What sort of relationship do you share with the Ambanis?
I was with them in Stockport, in London, in August, where they have this beautiful 400-plus acre property in the countryside. So when all this was happening, they were still in Stockport… taking all these calls from me. Gautam tried to stop the cops from coming, from entering JK House, and he tried not to be smoked out and be brought down and cornered. Thanks to the Ambanis' instructions, the cops overruled everything Gautam tried. He was then truly cornered. He didn’t want the NC’s (Non-Cognizable Offense report) to be written. The Ambanis made sure that they were written.
Q. Everybody is asking, why go this far and not file an FIR?
I had not converted it into an FIR, which would have been converted into a DV, (Domestic Violence Report), which would have been a non-bailable offense. You get three years of rigorous imprisonment and hard labour, and the new DV rules are so much more pro-victim than they used to be. It’s much tighter. Why did I do that? Because I am trying to save the unsavable. I was hoping he would do the right thing. Settle us. I am still not pulling the trigger on you, no matter what you have done to us. So both me and my daughter gave our statement that morning.
Q. What did you do after filing the NDs?
I went to meet my in-laws – especially my mother-in-law, to let her know what was going on. Trishagar Bajaj also came with me… also to keep an eye on what was being said. My mother-in-law said you are staying with me now, he has done this to every last member of the family. He should be exposed. Two rooms in her home were ready, they were really beautiful. But I said right now I need to go see my father. So I took my children with me, I went to see my father, and I gave them a place to stay. Just settled them in with bed linen, etc. – and told them to order in from their Swiggy or Zomato. I left them with their governesses, got into the car, and went straight to hospital. My whole body was injured. The back was the worst affected. Niharika was also injured, but she didn’t want to check into hospital as she felt her little sister needed her. Their mom was in hospital, they were with my 93-year-old father. It was a delicate situation, not the happiest.
Q. How did you choose SH Reliance and not Breach Candy Hospital which was much closer to home?
I just chose to be at SHR as that is where I usually go. During Covid, I took my parents there. It is a good facility. So I walked into the Emergency Ward. I thought I just needed to do check-ups. It was just as well because later the house manager told me that all ‘settings’ had been made at Breach Candy – that I would have not received care there. Anyways once at the Reliance Hospital, they were taking down notes about my case. Since it was an emergency ward, they asked all sorts of questions…I told them I was a victim of domestic violence, told them who was the perpetrator, etc. So then, everybody came down, Nita Ambani got to know, and my whole forum got to know.
Q. So what was the line of action taken at SHR?
I was hoping they would observe and treat me over a couple of hours. But they said - you need to be in the ICU as you have so many kicks and punches, you may have internal bleeding. And if there are clots forming, those could end up in the arteries going to your brain or to your heart. You could have a stroke or a heart attack. You are critical. Sometimes a rib may be broken, and if it punctures the lung, double jeopardy. So I was sent to the ICU for all checkups. My friends all found out. Once you are a DV case, the police have to come back and review your report. More so if you fall into a particular category of grievous injury. He had broken by S3 – my third sacrum bone, which holds the upper body erect. The treatment is to be horizontal for many months. These don’t heal in a hurry. But for me, that was impossible, given my circumstances. The number of days I had to stay in the ICU put me in the grievous injury category.
Q. So how did you pull off a super-successful book launch at Crosswords on September 15 with a damaged S3 bone?
Late on September 13, or early 14th, I was discharged. I told the doctors I could not postpone my book launch, because around the corner we had Ganesh Visarjan, the first day, the third day, and the fifth day. Then we had Dhanteras, then Dusshera. Then Diwali. And books were already out everywhere. You can’t pull the books back – then they become a failure. I was like, I can’t let him do this to me also. Then my docs were on my case, Nita Ambani was on my case, and of course, my elder brother jumped in, Pesi Modi – a senior counsel at the High Court. He was advising me at that point. He stayed over a night with me at the hospital. When I got out of the hospital, late in the night, I went to file a more detailed statement. I have all these statements, photos, videos, etc., etc.
Q. We hear there were some meetings to try and come to a settlement...
Yes, there were three mediations, in the New Oberoi, in our suites, under the watch of police for my security. And two people we trust as mediators. To find a way forward. He agreed he had wronged us terribly. For many years he has constantly told our close friends, that he was worried what would happen to us if anything untoward happened to him (Gautam). He had already kicked most of the family into the street – there was nobody to inherit the business. And I was telling him you are right, there is a threat to your legacy, and that threat is you. If you want to do the right thing, do it now. And I told him whatever you put down in your will, it should go four ways. We made him a very fair offer. But the next meeting we would have, he would say, “But I never said all this.” Recently, he called off the settlement and said, “Do what you want.”
Q. What exactly was your role as Director across the group businesses?
So as director, you have various functions and roles. According to the company’s law, in 2013 we had the latest revision, one has many roles, obligations, and duties. In the past, he has told me, "Don’t ever open your mouth, on the board, as a director, don’t ask any questions, don’t make any comments." Why? "Because you are just an angoothachaap for me." A fingerprint signatory. He also said, "you are not working in the company full-time."
Q. So how did you respond to that framework?
I said then take me off the boards. I told him this long ago. If you don’t want me to talk, if you don’t want me to contribute, to say anything. Because the few times I did say something he got ticked off at me. But when I repeatedly asked to be released as Director, he would say, “No, if you want me to provide for you and the children." And this is my only source of income, then you have to stay on. So I would be deaf, dumb, mute. Now, not anymore. Now I am seeing more and more clearly all the stuff he is trying to pull here and there.
Q. Like what?
We had one meeting on November 8. A few things were dodgy…I made it known. As a director, I needed to have a voice. I was thinking of the smallest shareholder...the pensioner - who doesn't have a voice. That’s what every director does at board meetings - making sure everything is in order. Luckily, some other directors also supported me, so he got put in his place. I didn’t want to use the word ‘red flag’…but another director did. I just said I need a side note…I need more information. Company funds are being used wrongly for personal wrongdoing. Just spent on things to show ‘I am the King of the World.’ He has no other real sources of income...just chotta motta revenue streams. So that meeting got over, I left.
Q. Tell us about the humiliating Diwali party scenario outside JK Gram…
I was invited the subsequent day, to the Raymond Awards for Excellence. This event happens every year, where we award our employees across certain categories. Typically Gautam and I give the awards out, and the senior management will give awards out to some of the lower categories, I speak, he speaks, and one or two others from senior management speak. Then there is a gala dinner.
Now this year, they were hosting the same occasion. This time, I was invited on the 9th of November – the day after the board meetings. I was invited at 1.30 in the afternoon for the awards, but given the energy of our situation, I did not go, thinking nothing good could come out of this. Again I was invited at 6.30 for a gala dinner. Now that is a really early time but it was a company dinner. I decided NOT to go for that reason, that there is so much unrest. Nothing is settled. However Gautam has always said, and his mother and father had always told me, (when they were Chairman and MD etc., and my mother-in-law was in my place) – they always told me, “As the wife of the Promoter, Chairman and MD, you are like the Godmother of the company. You must do your Happy Diwali, Shubh Diwali…wearing a festive outfit. That is the bare minimum duty you must do." So I made my way to JK Gram Thane… traffic was hellish that night. It actually took three hours and 20 minutes to arrive there. And then you saw what happened. Now was he actually thinking that I would get into my car and go back quietly? Another three-and-a-half hours? Am not saying do the right thing by your partner of 32 years – but did doing this to me even serve him in any way or his company?
Q. Where was Gautam at this time?
He was inside masterminding, master-controlling every small detail. I got all this information from his staff. So a lot of his people are very loyal to me. Even a lot of his friends are very loyal to me…some going back 40 years because they feel his actions are heinous. A lot of people around him are also extremely loyal to me. His parents, his sister, and cousins are horrified and offering to help me in any way. So, he tried going around telling people she wasn’t invited, she gate-crashed. But he admitted yesterday to my CA, that I was invited but he wanted to keep me out. He wanted to do this. It was pre-planned. I have proof that I had been invited. We still couldn’t find the cop's number. But when he descended, at the same time the cops were patrolling. That’s when they saw this ruckus. Then we started filing the statement on the road.
Q. But why did you do something so dramatic, like stage a dharna sitting on the road?
So that woman at the gate – in the navy blue saree – Chetana from corporate – she kept telling me “ma’am, ma’am if you’re here, then everyone will know what is happening. We don’t want anyone to know what is happening." We said you should have thought of that before you did this, right? You’re trying to keep a part owner out of their property, then you should have not invited me.
So she said, "It was a mistake". But I know he has admitted to the most senior CA on our side, that it was deliberate, NOT a mistake. Through his lawyers. So that’s another ruse. So she said, "sit down, sit down, your back must be hurting, would you like to sit in your car? Would you like to go back? Ma’am it's better you go back…", and my attitude was, "not only do you not own the property, you certainly don’t own the road!" But I was in pain, I had come in my wheelchair, so I did need to sit. I had come to do my duty with a painful back.
Q. Do you think this was triggered when you did not appear for the 1.30 awards or the 6.30 dinner?
There was no trigger – except that I was whistle-blowing what was happening at the board meetings. He wanted to change the subject and push things under the carpet. But others were also saying, hold on, let’s address all these questions. These instructions were given to his teams whenever I landed up. And I had landed up for the good of the company, the Happy Diwali moments, the pooja. This was my legal duty as a Director.
Q. So you went to the police to file a report in Thane…
Yes, I went to Vartak Nagar, Thana police station, I went with my secretary and driver. This is the ilaaka which handles Raymonds, JK Gram. I get told by the cops that there are 35 police stations reporting to them. Thana is bigger than Mumbai I am told. Anyway, he sends his goons after me. Chandrakant had come. I told him you have come to harass me here? You think everyone is in your pocket? Of course, they were hanging around even in the cop station making a nuisance of themselves. So the police told them this was not some scandal point. We saw in the illaka around, one to two cars kept coming...each backing the other. Finally, I gave my statement, I submitted the invitation for this and past occasions, and I gave nine videos, with timelines, who was talking to whom. So nobody could tamper with them. As we left and drove out, his cars were following us. So I told my driver – go back to the police station. The cars followed us. I got off in the middle of the road, right up to the first car. The driver got nervous and I confronted him saying, “What is your problem, harassing women and children? Go home and sleep!” And then he went off. Another car was there, which had also been following me. This time the cops came out, and they blocked this car with a cop car in front of it. I have a video of this as well. The cops also confronted the drivers… asked for their ID, and intent. Finally, the cops came with me and my secretary, to be doubly sure, all the way home.
Q. So what is your status now as Director?
So then he sat with his lawyers, trying to move me out as a Director. He has done this illegally to his father too. On JK Trust. Not complying with the company’s laws. You are supposed to call a meeting, put up your agenda, and call all the directors. None of that happened. They just moved Vijayapat out of the picture – and I have evidence of all this. Now, he drafted a letter complaining about my actions at the Thana event, saying I have breached my fiduciary role. Am like who else has breached their fiduciary role, over and over? Who has all these cars? Who has this lifestyle really? The authorities have been after him for a long time to find out the source of his income. Not only here but otherwise also. Now I am starting to find out more and more what is going out.
Q. What happened once you saw his public statement on Instagram, confirming your separation?
Well, he waited for me to be on a flight, to Udaipur. He didn’t want me to react; he didn’t realise I wasn’t going to react then or even later either. So my friends in corporate India, said, ‘who says this to a partner of 32 years, via social media? On Instagram? And then at the same point, turns around and says, ‘give us privacy.’ If you want privacy why announce a separation on a public platform? He thought it would stand by his actions at Raymond’s Diwali party. In fact, it spiraled out of control, making my actions and videos a lot more viral than they were. Then we were going back to what he did on Sept 10, to his daughter and me. Then it reflected back on his history as a serial offender – what he did to his mother and father. And brother, and sister, and old ailing aunt and both are cousins and their wives and children. And who is left? We were in the line.
Q. But didn’t any of the family members go to court?
They did but he managed the whole legal system. I have been part of the four-person coterie that decides how he is going to manage a system, and who all does what. Under the table, etc. And he hides behind the company – because it is Raymond being sued, not him. Public money is being spent. He doesn’t have to show up one day in a lawyer’s office or in court. He does everything from the back end.
He also announced three big wins that he had around the time he put this separation post out. Now this is what he has always said about his situation with himself and his family – ‘that no matter how much evil I do, as long as I prove that I am successful and really successful, I can go on with the evil. I can get away with more and more, as long as I am more and more successful.
Q. So what happened with the promise of settling things, which was announced on Instagram?
He didn’t settle anything. He said, "settlement is off the table". He just wanted to wait for the storm to pass so he didn’t have to pay anything to anyone. He simply wanted to kick his kids and his wife on the curb. Back in 2016 or so, give or take when this whole matter of his getting the whole family out of JK House – of course as husband and wife, we would talk at night, and I would always tell him you may be technically right that this is a public limited company property, which cannot be sold. But where you are wrong is that they are your parents – I mean sorry but they have brought you into this world, you owe them everything. It is your honour, your privilege to give back to them.
Q. What is your equation with your own family?
In the days and months that followed – and I take really good care of my own parents – my father is beyond well taken care of by me. My mother is no more. Not many people know to what extent my father has taken care of me – I nearly didn’t survive my birth. He has been there for me more than I could ever be for myself. Now he is 93 going on 94, it is an honour to give back.
One day in all my frustration I told him, "Gautam, THINGS don’t matter – People do. He’d say, NO - People don’t matter. Things do."
Now he is ‘purging’ the house of staff – not giving them food to eat – too many people have seen too many things. He says, "we need a new set up of people." The drivers’ food and overtime have been stopped, payments are often late, and some people are being harassed. The staff are being screwed with big time. He has made many threats saying I can buy out the whole system – with whose money? Public limited money.
Although I left the police station in Thane at 5 in the morning, at 10.30 am I was at my in-law's house. I saw both of them, I told them what was happening.. they were absolutely mortified. I stood up there in front of both of them…and I actually touched their feet and said you know what - I have to ask your forgiveness, for not knowing, what I didn’t know when I didn’t know it. Because I used to believe my husband. And it was partly my mother-in-law’s conditioning – that even if Gautam is doing wrong, your role is to be by his side. I married him because of her – but that is a different story, different times.
My father-in-law said you know every word that comes out of his mouth is a lie. I said I did not know this – and frankly neither did you, or you would never have transferred your shareholding to him. The wolf comes in sheep's clothing, it doesn’t come as a wolf. And you wake up when you wake up. And he said the only reason I transferred the shareholding to him was YOU.
(With inputs from Sangeeta Wadhwani)
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