A scoop of success sours into a bitter family war. The legacy of Mumbai’s iconic ‘Kwality’ ice cream and InterContinental Hotel is melting down in a dramatic father-son feud. Ailing tycoon Ravi Ghai has accused his son, Gaurav, of betrayal, forgery, and usurping the Graviss Group while he battled cancer. But the company claims Ravi is being misled by outside forces and insists the matter is civil, not criminal.
What’s the battle about?
The Graviss Group includes the InterContinental Hotel, Kwality Ice Cream, and the Baskin Robbins chain. The business was founded nearly seven decades ago by Ravi’s father, Iqbal K Ghai, and expanded by Ravi Ghai himself. He now alleges that his son manipulated company shares and board appointments during a time when Ravi was bedridden while undergoing cancer treatment.
Gaurav Ghai, Ravi Ghai’s son
“I’m fighting to recover assets stolen by my son — someone I trusted,” Ravi Ghai told mid-day. “I was the Chairman and MD of the Graviss Group for decades. After I fell ill, I asked him to take care of the business. But instead of supporting me, he bullied the professionals I had hired, changed board members, forged signatures — just to hijack what I built.”
“He couldn’t wait for me to die,” said Ghai. “I’ve submitted a complaint to the Marine Drive police, but I don’t believe an FIR has been filed yet. I’ve also been informed that Gaurav hasn’t responded to the police inquiry.”
‘Was insulted & humiliated’
Asked where he was when the alleged forgery took place, Ghai said, “I was undergoing cancer treatment in London and Dubai around 4–5 years ago. I tried settling it within the family. I asked for some shares for my daughters and myself, but there was no response. I kept appealing, but all I received was insult.”
Ailing tycoon Ravi Ghai at home in Nariman Point. Pics/Ashish Raje; (right) Gaurav Ghai, son of Ravi Ghai
He added, “Employees who worked with me for 30–40 years were told not to speak to me. That was humiliating. I deserved respect — but received none.” “I want back everything I gave him. It runs into thousands of crores,” said Ghai. He added that his daughters fully support him — “but my son does not.”
‘Regret giving away equity’
“This is a hard lesson. Senior citizens should never part with their assets while alive. I regret giving him my equity. He didn’t stop there — he wanted everything. Today’s generation is driven by greed.” After submitting his complaint, police visited Ghai’s Nariman Point apartment on May 30 to record his detailed statement.
Ravi’s statement to cops
In 2020, on Gaurav’s 50th birthday, he gifted his son 49 per cent of his company shares through a Gift Deed. He was seriously ill at the time and would travel abroad for his treatment and believed his son would run the business responsibly.
On returning to India periodically, he was asked to sign several documents “for business purposes,” which he now suspects were misused. In early 2025, the monthly Rs 12.5 lakh Gaurav gave him stopped abruptly. When questioned, Gaurav allegedly stalled and stopped all payments. A senior company official later informed him that Gaurav had made himself “self-appointed Chairman” and seized full control of the business.
Gaurav’s side responds
When contacted, a spokesperson for the Graviss Group said, “We are deeply disturbed by the allegations levelled by Ravi Ghai against his son Gaurav Ghai in a police complaint. Ravi Ghai has made false and frivolous claims. We believe he may be acting under duress or under the influence of nefarious elements taking advantage of his age.”
“The Ghai Group of companies was established by the late IK Ghai and has seen extensive growth under the stewardship of Gaurav Ghai. The Graviss Group, as it is now known, owns and manages the InterContinental Hotel in Mumbai, the Baskin Robbins franchise in SAARC, Kwality Ice Cream in the GCC, and several other food and hospitality-related businesses,” the statement sent to mid-day read.
“Ravi Ghai parted ways with the Graviss Group, and family agreements were entered into in 2021 and 2023, setting out the understanding between family members. Both agreements were finalised after extensive negotiations involving reputed law firms. It was agreed that Ravi would have no role in the management of the group. The shares still held by Ravi Ghai in Graviss Hospitality Limited have been frozen/put on hold in favour of Gaurav Ghai,” the statement further noted.
“We are shocked that, despite Ravi Ghai being paid as agreed and no longer having any beneficial interest in the family assets or business entities — with full management rights confirmed in favour of Gaurav Ghai — he has filed such a complaint with the police. With his substantial wealth, Ravi Ghai is an NRI who resides abroad for most of the year. The complaint, which invokes the Maintenance of Senior Citizens Act, suggests that either mischievous elements are involved or there is a serious misunderstanding of the applicable law,” it added.
“Lastly, the nature of the dispute between father and son is civil. The matter is already under arbitration. The Supreme Court has consistently held that civil disputes should not be converted into criminal cases. We have submitted our response to the police and believe that the Mumbai police will act in accordance with the law laid down by the Supreme Court and not act upon the false complaint filed by Ravi Ghai,” the statement concluded.
Lawyers speak
Advocate Peter Fernandes, a close associate of Ravi Ghai, said: “During this vulnerable period, Gaurav allegedly forged a ‘Supplementary Family Settlement Agreement’ dated August 25, 2023, to illegally grab his father’s assets. This is a betrayal of a man who built an empire from scratch.” “Despite being a senior citizen and a cancer patient, Ravi Ghai has received little to no assistance from the police or other authorities concerned,” Fernandes added.
Police speak
A senior officer at Marine Drive police station said, “It is true that Ravi Ghai’s statement was recorded on May 30 after we received his complaint against his son Gaurav Ghai. The matter is still under investigation, which is why an FIR has not yet been registered.”
