Industrialist and former Rajya Sabha member MAM Ramaswamy, 84, on Tuesday disowned his adopted son MAMR Muthiah.
Ramaswamy said Ayyappan has not performed the annual rituals for his late wife Sigappi Achi which had affected him emotionally.
The industrialist also declared that Muthiah should not perform any ceremonies or obsequies on his demise.
Ramaswamy said the adoption has been nullified as per the practice of the Chettiar community and steps are being taken to void the adoption on the legal side as well.
I have disowned him and do not wish to call him my son. Whatever the law may be, he is no more my son. According to me he can be only S Ayyappan (original name) and not MAMR Muthiah.
-MAM Ramaswamy Chettiar
Though a substantial part of his properties is with Ayyappan, whatever is remaining, he said, will go to two charitable trusts - Dr. MAM Ramaswamy Chettiar of Chettinad Charitable Trust and Dr.MAM Ramaswamy Chettiar Trust- in which Ayyappan will have no part to play or have a say.
Who is Ramaswamy’s son?
The Ramaswamys did not have any biological children and hence adopted Ayyappan, natural son of RM Sekkappa Chettiar, in 1995 when he was around 26 years old and named him as MAMR Muthiah.
According to Ramaswamy and his industrialist cousin AC Muthiah of the SPIC group, the adoption of Ayyappan did not follow the tradition of the Nagaratha community.
“My father (M.A. Muthiah Chettiar) has stated in his will that his entire wealth should go only to a grandson adopted according to the traditions of the Nattukottai Nagarathar Community (Chettiar community) and not otherwise,” Ramaswamy said. He said the adoption was done without following the mandatory customs of the Nattukottai Nagarathar community.
Trouble in Paradise
Ramaswamy alleged that Ayyappan transferred a substantial part of his and his wife’s properties and powers in business to himself.
He also forced me to make him the Managing Director of the Chettinad Cement Corporation and also pressurised me to induct him and his wife Geetha Ayyappan and also the employees nominated by him in the various trusts and societies.
-MAM Ramaswamy
The problems between Ramaswamy and his adopted son had been there for some time and aggravated after the demise of the former’s wife.
According to Ramaswamy, his adopted son’s miserly attitude did not gel with his philanthropic one.
Ramaswamy was ousted as the chairman of Chettinad Cements and other group companies.
Chettinad Raided
Income Tax Department today conducted raids against the Rs 10,000-crore business conglomerate Chettinad Group of Companies at its premises in three states.
A top Income Tax official said that raids were carried out in 37 places of the Chettinad Group in Tamil Nadu, two places in Andhra Pradesh and a few places in Mumbai.
“Yes, raids are going on,” the official divulged on condition of anonymity.