In a positive for Sugandha Hiremath, concerning the property dispute in the Kalyani family, a Pune court has refused to stay her partition suit seeking her share in ancestral wealth estimated billions of dollars.
In two separate detailed orders, Joint Civil Judge J.G. Pawar refused to stay the proceedings as sought by Sugandha’s brother Gaurishankar Kalyani and his daughter, Sheetal Kalyani.
The Kalyanis had filed applications under section 10 of Civil Procedure Code seeking a stay on the suit filed by Ms Hiremath in 2025.
Their contention was that her suit was similar to other partitions proceedings concerning Kalyani family wealth. They argued that Ms Kalyani’s suit filed in 2014 and Ms Hiremath’s suit of 2025 were identical.
Ms Hiremath on her part argued that the applications filed by her brother Mr Kalyani and his daughter Ms Kalyani were nothing but attempts to protract or delay hearings in the case.
After hearing all the sides, the court on June 3 passed a detailed order.
The court took note of four suits concerning Kalyani family wealth. This included Ms Kalyani’s suit, one filed by Ms Hiremath’s children Sameer and Pallavi, and two suits filed by her in 2012 and 2025.
“Considering all the facts and circumstances, fact in issue of 4 pending suits and ingredient of Section 10 of C.P.C., prima-facie it appears that, the number of parties or their representatives are not one and same. Both the parties are not litigating under the same title,” the order said.
“The prayers of pending 4 suits are altogether different and not identical with each other. The causes of action of these suits are based on different footings. In present suit, the cause of action is based on alleged fraud which was discovered after filing of suit in 2012 as well as alienation of joint Hindu property by defendant No.3 (Gaurishankar) and Rohini (his wife) in their names,” the order said.
“The properties of 4 suits are not identical with each other in its nature and quantity. Therefore, all these suits are not identical on the point of capacity of parties, title under whom they are litigating with each other. As such, the decision of each suit would not operate res-judicata against other suits,” the order said.
“Therefore, matter in issue in present suit is not directly and substantially in issue in previously pending 03 suits,” states the order.
The suit claims all the wealth that exists with any member of Kalyani family was created from the nucleus. Her grandfather Annappa Narayan Kalyani (ANK) was the one who created initial wealth which got passed down to future generations.
Ms Hiremath through her suit is seeking her share in several moveable and immoveable properties, which includes stake in 250 companies in which Kalyani family wealth has been invested.
Published – June 06, 2026 05:40 am IST
