**Delhi High Court Denies Arbitration Request in Oberoi Family Estate Dispute**
The Delhi High Court has dismissed a request from Natasha Oberoi, the daughter of the late hotelier P.R.S. Oberoi, to resolve her family dispute regarding her father’s estate through arbitration. In a ruling delivered on January 15 and made public on Friday, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav stated that matters concerning Wills, inheritance, and family succession must be adjudicated by civil courts rather than private arbitrators. The court emphasized that Natasha, who serves as the managing director of Oberoi Hotels Pvt. Ltd but does not hold shares in the company, cannot invoke the arbitration clause found in the company’s Articles of Association.
This legal battle stems from a growing rift within the Oberoi family following the death of P.R.S. Oberoi, affectionately known as “Biki” Oberoi, in November 2023. He was the former executive chairman of EIH Ltd and the patriarch of the Oberoi Group, a leading luxury hospitality chain in India, with significant interests in EIH Ltd, Oberoi Hotels Pvt. Ltd, and Oberoi Properties.
At the center of the conflict are two sets of Wills. One faction, led by Anastasia Mirjana Jojic Oberoi, P.R.S. Oberoi’s daughter from his second marriage, claims a Will dated October 25, 2021, along with a codicil from August 27, 2022, as her father’s final testament. She asserts that these documents designate her and certain family trusts as primary beneficiaries of the estate, which includes valuable shares in Oberoi group companies.
Conversely, Natasha Oberoi, along with her brother Vikramjit Singh Oberoi, the managing director and CEO of EIH Ltd, and their cousin Arjun Singh Oberoi, the executive chairman of EIH, contest the validity of the 2021 Will. They argue in favor of an earlier Will from March 20, 1992. Vikramjit contends that the shares in Oberoi Hotels and Oberoi Properties were held in trust for him and Arjun, intended to pass to them upon their father’s death, and thus should not be included in the estate under the later Will claimed by Anastasia.
Natasha’s attempt to seek arbitration followed a board resolution passed on June 6, 2025, by Oberoi Hotels Pvt. Ltd, which authorized Tejaswi Dixit to manage all legal matters related to P.R.S. Oberoi’s estate, including court cases. Natasha alleged that Dixit was improperly appointed by Vikramjit and Arjun, bypassing standard board procedures, and claimed this maneuver was designed to control litigation over the estate while marginalizing other family members. She argued that the dispute fundamentally concerned company management and internal control, warranting arbitration under existing corporate agreements.
However, the court disagreed, asserting that the core issue at hand was not corporate governance but rather the rightful beneficiaries of the estate.
**FAQ**
**Q: What was the main issue in the Oberoi family estate dispute?**
A: The dispute centers around conflicting Wills and claims to inheritance following the death of P.R.S. Oberoi, with family members contesting the validity of different Wills and the rightful beneficiaries of the estate.
