The trustees of Tata Trusts have filed a rejoinder in the Supreme Court stating that the reply by Tata Sons’ ousted Chairman Cyrus Mistry is largely a recycled version of unfounded allegations.
“The reply is a smokescreen; an attempt to sidestep the real issues,” the rejoinder by trustees of Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Sir Dorabji Tata Trust said.
The rejoinder was filed on Thursday by trustees Venu Srinivasan, RK Krishna Kumar, Vijay Singh, Noel Tata and Jehangir HC Jehangir. The trustees were responding to an affidavit filed by Cyrus Investments and Sterling Investment Corporation on June 27, 2020.
“The appellants submit that the content of the reply is largely a recycled version of the same unfounded allegations and insinuations which the contesting Respondents have made in the earlier proceedings and to which sufficiently detailed response has been given in affidavits filed by various respondents…,” it said.
READ THE STORY: Mistry’s claims of ‘good performance’ are misconceived, says Tata Sons
The respondents have sought to raise questions which do not concern them. The decision making process of the Tata Trusts or their governance is not the subject matter of this case. Tata Trusts and their trustees do not owe any fiduciary duty to the respondents or an explanation to them about the internal decision making in the trusts, it said.
The respondents have no locus to question governance or internal decision-making of the trusts and they should refrain from making speculative allegations and indulging in mudslinging against individuals or organisations, it added.
“The Tata trusts do not ‘wield power’; they empower and transform people’s lives. These trusts are one of the most trusted, transparent and genuinely admired philanthropic organisations not only in India but globally,” it added.
On Thursday, Tata Sons filed a rejoinder in the Supreme Court stating that ousted Chairman Cyrus Mistry’s claims of “good performance” are misconceived.