'If he can throw his wife out like this...': Raymond boss Gautam Singhania’s father backs daughter-in-law Nawaz Modi amid messy separation

Amid the messy separation process between Raymond MD and Chairman Gautam Singhania and his wife, Nawaz Modi Singhania, former Raymond boss and Gautam’s father, Vijaypat Singhania, has said that he would support his daughter-in-law over his son. In an exclusive, bare-it-all interview with Business Today, Vijaypat Singhania had some harsh words for his son.

Vijaypat said that his son Gautam took away everything from him, and that he survives on the little money he is left with. “I have no business. He had agreed to give me some parts of the company. But of course, for him to back out is a two-second deal, he backed out. So I have nothing else, I gave him everything. By mistake I was left with some money on which I'm surviving today. Otherwise I would have been on the road. He'd be happy to see me on the road. I'm sure of that. If he can throw his wife out like this, throw his father out like this, I don't know what he is,” said Vijaypat Singhania.

He said that parents like him should think twice before giving away everything to their children. “By all means, give what you want to. I'm not telling you "don't give". I'm only saying, give it after you're gone, after your death. Don't give it in your lifetime because you may have to pay a very heavy price,” Vijaypat Singhania bemoaned.

The former Raymond boss also said that he would give his support to his daughter-in-law Nawaz Modi Singhania, and not to his son. Vijaypat revealed that he tried to mediate between his son and daughter-in-law but she said they would handle it themselves. “So, if she ever needs me or needs my advice, she is most welcome to come to me. I'll give her the best I can. But if she wants to do it herself, I'm not going to interfere,” said Vijaypat.

Singhania said that he is open to meeting his son but believes that it would be a futile exercise. He acknowledged that if he says something Gautam does not like, he might be “abused” or “screamed at”. In fact, he added, that Gautam had visited his house the day before the interview but “didn't even get up and turn around” to see him. “He's become a very arrogant person,” Gautam Singhania’s father stated.

Gautam Singhania and Vijaypat Singhania’s acrimonious relationship has been well-documented and is long-drawn. What initiated as a family feud over Raymond’s control, involving his elder son Madhupati Singhania, snowballed into a feud between Gautam and Vijaypat over ownership of JK House flats. Vijaypat was eventually denied a flat in the Singhania family’s 36-storey JK House in South Mumbai.

Vijaypat was supposed to get a duplex in the multi-storey building, along with a duplex each for Gautam, and Vijaypat’s brother Ajaypat Singhania’s wife and two sons as per a 2007 agreement. In 2017, Vijaypat alleged that he hasn’t been given possession of the duplex.

He accused Gautam of occupying more area in the building than he was entitled to. Vijaypat later on stated that many valuable documents, including Gold Media of World Records Aviation, World Record Certificate for flying the hot air gas balloon to the highest altitude, the Battle Axe presented by the Chief of Indian Air Force, photographs and paintings, the Padma Bhushan certificate and the Gold Medal given by the President of India were missing from his cabin.

Also read: Vijaypat Singhania will support his daughter-in-law Nawaz, not son & Raymond boss Gautam: Full text of exclusive interview

Also read: Raymond's name will ultimately depend on how shareholders, bankers look at it: Vijaypat Singhania on Gautam-Nawaz split

Also Watch: From Raymond's future to Nawaz Modi's settlement options: Vijaypat Singhania gets candid about son Gautam Singhania