The Birlas on Friday clinched a major victory in the 16-year battle with the Lodhas over the control of the MP Birla Group.

Calcutta High Court ruled that Harsh Vardhan Lodha — whose late father R.S. Lodha was given control of the group in July 2004 under the terms of Priyamvada Birla’s contentious will — could not hold any office in any of the entities of the M.P. Birla Group. It also restrained him from drawing any benefit personally out of the assets of the MP Birla estate.

Justice Sahidullah Munshi, who delivered the verdict, said that the three-member committee of administrators, which had been appointed in 2012 to oversee the affairs of the MP Birla estate, would “exercise all such powers and perform all such acts as the late Priyamvada Birla would have exercised had she been alive”.

The court turned down a request made by the Lodhas as for a stay on the court’s order.

The Lodhas said they would challenge the order in the appeals court as it “does not appear to be lawful”.