Former SC Judge R.V. Raveendran appointed as mediator in Lalit-Bina Modi property dispute

Parties on both sides of the case advised to go for mediation without any pre-condition and with an open mind

The Supreme Court on Monday appointed former apex court judge Justice R.V. Raveendran as mediator to settle the family property dispute involving businessman and former IPL head Lalit Modi and his mother Bina Modi.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana advised parties on both sides of the case to go for mediation without any pre-condition and with an open mind to settle the dispute.

The parties on either side of the dispute, represented by senior advocates Harish Salve and Kapil Sibal, had informed the court on July 28 that earlier attempts to settle the issues through mediation had failed.

The apex court, on December 16 last year, had taken the consent of rival parties and had appointed former apex court judges - Justices Vikramjit Sen and Kurian Joseph - to mediate and help the Modis to find an amicable solution.

The court directed that parties should maintain confidentiality of the mediation proceedings and not put out any information on social media.

The Bench, also comprising Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli, was hearing Lalit Modi’s appeal against the judgment of a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court that the anti-arbitration injunction lawsuit filed by Bina Modi, wife of late industrialist K.K. Modi, against her son was maintainable.