Calcutta, Aug. 9: Rajendra Singh Lodha’s contention that all was not well in the country’s first business family was challenged in the court today.

Appearing for the Birla family, counsel S. Pal gave a host of instances, ranging from regular correspondence between the family’s patriarch G.D. Birla and M.P. Birla to Priyamvada Birla’s involvement in Yashovardhan’s marriage to counter Lodha’s charges.

Lodha had produced a host of documents to prove that the relationship between the members of the Birla family was not cordial and his lawyers had argued that it was nothing unusual for Priyamvada to make him the sole successor of the assets of the MP Birla group.

The Birla family’s private affairs, which have always remained behind the imposing gates of Birla Park, today tumbled out once again in the public domain in connection with the hearing on appointment of an administrator for the estate of the MP Birla group.

In the court of Justice Kalyanjyoti Sengupta, Pal focused on various correspondences between the members of Birla family, their involvement in family ceremonies and swatted away claims that relationship among family members was not cordial.

Pal produced telex messages and letters exchanged between M. P. Birla and G. D. Birla, which referred to critical issues like transferring of trust properties such as MP Birla Planetarium and handing over Saurashtra Chemicals to S. K. Birla.

The issue of Lodha using “undue influence” on Priyamvada also came up during the hearing today. Pal said the relationship between Priyamvada Birla and Lodha was such that he was able to make her succumb to his propositions and requested the court to examine other angles in the relationship. The next hearing on the case will be on August 11.