Filipino-Indian billionaire asks DOJ to junk falsification of documents complaint of brother

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 11) — Filipino-Indian billionaire Rajiv Chandiramani has asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) panel of prosecutors to dismiss the falsification of public documents complaint filed by his brother.

In his response to the complaint, Chandiramani said the allegations are “baseless, contrived, and manufactured.”

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), in endorsing the complaint to the DOJ, said Chandiramani falsified the signature of his late father involving deed of absolute sale and real estate mortgage of some properties amounting to P1 billion.

Chandiramani said his brother, Amith, filed the same complaint against him and his mother in 2022.

“While these cases were at the initial stages, in order to obviate further litigation, for peace of mind and safety, and upon the persuasion of family members, Rajiv agreed to a compromise with Amith,” his counter-affidavit stated.

The agreement involved monetary settlement for the mutual withdrawal of complaints filed against each other.

As part of the compromise deal, Chandiramani bound himself to pay Amith P150 million by way of support.

The deal included a clause where Amith acknowledged the ownership of and Rajiv’s right over the properties. But in May 2023, he found out that his brother filed the same complaint with the NBI.

Chandiramani’s lawyers insisted that the compromise deal was partially carried out with Amith receiving P9 million in cash.

“[S]ince Amith has clearly benefited from the compromise agreement, he is considered under estoppel to question its validity and enforceability,” Chandiramani’s lawyers said.

They noted that Amith executed an affidavit of desistance when he withdrew his first complaint, where he said that he realized that the “case merely arose out of honest misapprehension and misappreciation of the facts.”

Chandiramani pointed out there are witnesses who signed the documents proving they were present at the signing of the sale of documents.

“All of these taken together gives credence to Rajiv’s contention that the sale and mortgage transactions were regular, done in good faith and for valuable consideration,” he said.