Lodha vs Lodha: Lodha Ventures says it is looking into matter after Macrotech alleges forgery

The ongoing trademark dispute between Macrotech Developers, led by Abhishek Lodha, and House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL), headed by Abhinandan Lodha, has intensified. Macrotech has accused HoABL of committing forgery and creating fake documents in an effort to leverage the 'Lodha' brand name.

In a recent regulatory disclosure to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) on April 2, Macrotech Developers asserted that entities linked to HoABL had utilised counterfeit board resolutions and a fabricated PAN card to obtain approval for changing corporate names to include 'Lodha'.

The company claimed that no such board meeting took place and stated that the resolutions were not deliberated on or endorsed by its directors.

"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.

In reply, Lodha Ventures, in a statement, said: "This is with reference to a filing today by Macrotech Developers Limited with the stock exchanges. We are internally looking into the matter and shall revert with our detailed response. Suffice it to state that the House of Abhinandan Lodha does not admit any of the allegations of fraud and forgery sought to be attributed to us."

In January, Macrotech Developers initiated legal action against HoABL in the Bombay High Court for trademark infringement. The suit seeks injunctive relief, damages, and other appropriate remedies.
Macrotech Developers, renowned for selling properties under the 'Lodha' brand, is a prominent player in the real estate industry. On the other hand, HoABL specializes in developing residential plots in various major cities.

The purported counterfeit resolutions contained a 'no objection' declaration from Macrotech, falsely granting permission for HoABL entities to utilize the ‘Lodha’ trademark. It was also found that the signature of an independent director on these documents was forged, as confirmed by the director upon discovering that both the signature and a copy of their PAN card included in the application were fraudulent.

Allegedly, at least two companies associated with HoABL modified their registered names to incorporate 'Lodha' following the submission of these forged documents.

In response to these allegations, the Macrotech board has formed a Special Committee of Directors to conduct a thorough investigation and pursue legal recourse. It is noteworthy that Abhishek Lodha has excused himself from the committee to ensure an impartial examination of the matter.