The Bombay High Court on Thursday suggested that the warring Ambani brothers go back to their mother Kokilaben and have the dispute settled. The division bench of Justices JN Patel and KK Tated are hearing the dispute between the Mukesh and Anil Ambani groups over supply of natural gas from the former’s eastern offshore Krishna-Godavari gas fields.
The court said that the dispute between Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and Anil Ambani-led RNRL (Reliance Natural Resources Ltd) might affect the economy. ?Why can’t the two brothers go back to the mother and discuss?” asked Justice JN Patel. While Anil’s lawyer welcomed the idea, RIL lawyers said they will get instructions from Mukesh’s side.
The case hearing has been adjourned to September 1.
It may be noted that earlier, a single judge of the High Court had asked parties to renegotiate the disputed GSMA (gas supply master agreement) , but it did not work out. However, Justice Patel on Thursday remarked that no amount of litigation would put an end to the dispute and suggested that perhaps both the brothers can sit together with their mother and find a solution.
RNRL’s lawyer Mukesh Rohatgi said, ?He (Anil) is ready to meet Mukesh anytime, any place.? RIL lawyer Milind Sathe said he would seek instructions, but hinted that it would not work out. Sathe said that despite earlier judge’s direction to sit together and renegotiate the GSMA, it did not happen. ?That was the end of the matter,? Sathe said.
However, there has been an official statement on behalf of Anil Ambani by one of the RNRL counsel, that Anil Ambani is ready to renegotiate with his brother to resolve the conflict around the suitable arrangement clause of this case.
So the bench will wait to watch how RIL responds to this. As of now the bench is very clear that in terms of gas supply, RNRL counsel has to make it very clear what the status of their plans are.