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After nearly seven years of legal battles, boardroom fights and public allegations, one of India's longest-running corporate family feuds may finally be heading towards a settlement.
Godfrey Phillips India shares jumped 3% after Samir Modi announced that he has withdrawn all legal cases against his mother, Bina Modi. He said he no longer wanted to continue the fight.
But to understand why this is such a big development, we need to go back several years.
First, who are the Modis: no, it’s not what you are thinking. This is the KK Modi family, one of India's oldest business dynasties.
The group's flagship listed company is Godfrey Phillips India, the maker and distributor of Marlboro cigarettes in India and owner of brands such as Four Square and Red & White.
At the centre of everything was industrialist Krishan Kumar (KK) Modi, who built the family empire over several decades.
Before his death in 2019, KK Modi created the KK Modi Family Trust, which held the family's business interests. The trust controls nearly 48% of Godfrey Phillips India, making it the single most important shareholder in the company.
That trust would later become the biggest source of conflict.
The beginning: when KK Modi passed away in November 2019, he left behind a detailed succession plan through the family trust.
His widow Bina Modi became the Managing Trustee.
His children - Samir Modi, Lalit Modi and Charu Modi were beneficiaries of the trust.
Initially, the trust was supposed to manage the assets until they could eventually be distributed according to KK Modi's wishes.
However, disagreements soon emerged over how those assets should be divided and whether the trust deed was being implemented as intended.
Samir and Lalit alleged that Bina Modi was not following the spirit of KK Modi's succession plan.
Bina Modi rejected those allegations and maintained that she was acting strictly within the powers granted to her as Managing Trustee.
Over the next few years, the dispute spread across multiple courts. There were petitions before the Supreme Court. Eventually, the fight also reached the boardrooms of group companies.
September 2024: the boardroom battle turned public. By 2024, the conflict had become impossible to ignore.
At Godfrey Phillips India's Annual General Meeting, shareholders largely backed Bina Modi's leadership. She secured around 86.6% shareholder support to continue as Chairperson.
On the other hand, Samir Modi failed to secure reappointment to the board, while Charu Modi, who had sided with Bina Modi, was appointed Executive Director with overwhelming shareholder support.
Around the same time, Bina Modi publicly broke her silence.
In one of her strongest public statements, she said:
"KK Modi's legacy is not for sale. It has to be kept alive."
Samir Modi alleged that during a May 2024 board meeting, he was prevented from entering the meeting.
According to his complaint, Bina Modi's personal security officer assaulted him after allegedly acting on her instructions.
Samir claimed his right index finger was fractured and required surgery.
An FIR was subsequently registered.
The allegations drew national attention because they transformed what was originally an inheritance dispute into a criminal case involving members of one of India's best-known business families.
February 2026: a Delhi court summoned Bina Modi, senior lawyer Lalit Bhasin and security officer Surendra Prasad after finding sufficient material to proceed in the assault case.
The court disagreed with the police's earlier recommendation not to prosecute the matter.
April 2026: just two months later, the tone changed dramatically.
The Delhi High Court quashed the criminal proceedings after Samir Modi informed the court that a settlement had been reached and that he was withdrawing his complaint.
The court subsequently closed the case against Bina Modi and the other accused.
It was the first major indication that both sides might finally be looking for reconciliation rather than prolonged litigation.
Climax: Samir Modi on Tuesday confirmed that he has withdrawn all legal cases filed against his mother.
Speaking to The Economic Times, he said:
"I have withdrawn all the cases. I don't want to fight."
While the family has not yet announced a final settlement, investors viewed the development as an important step towards ending one of India's longest-running corporate succession disputes.
