Law firms

Luthra & Luthra made 11 new partners having promoted six partner designates and five managing associates, and elevated partner Bikash Jhawar to the firm’s executive committee, according to Bar & Bench.

"Monsanto is selling its branded cotton seeds business in India to Hyderabad-based Tierra Agrotech, although the US biotechnology major would remain invested in farming segments such as corn seeds, crop protection, vegetables and Bollgard II technologies," reported the Economic Times.

Aparna Mittal, who had joined AZB & Partners in Delhi from Luthra & Luthra around 18 months ago, has left the firm, as first reported Bar & Bench.

HSA Advocates^ partner Megha Arora has moved back to J Sagar Associates (JSA), as partner, as first reported by Bar & Bench.

Phoenix Legal has hired Vasanth Rajasekaran as its 16th partner from Seth Dua & Associates in Delhi, where he had worked with co-founder Sunil Seth before his death in February 2017.

“A stake sale by DLF Ltd’s promoters to an affiliate of Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC Pte Ltd will see capital infusion of nearly Rs 13,000 crore into India’s largest property developer,” reported Mint.

J Sagar Associates (JSA) newly promoted partner Sumit Sinha left the firm to join DMD Advocates as a partner in its corporate team in Delhi.

Former Khaitan & Co projects partner Upendra Joshi has joined Legasis Partners as a partner in Mumbai.

Trilegal Delhi-based counsel Abhimanyu Ghosh will be joining Khaitan & Co in its energy, infrastructure and resources practice as an associate partner next week.

Link Legal India Law Services has hired the former senior partner and chairman of UK-headquartered firm Pinsent Masons, Martin Harman, as its “chair - international business”, according to a press release from the firm.

Panindia Legal has launched an office in Mumbai to be headed by former Indialaw senior partner Premlal Krishnan, who had first co-founded Indialaw as Sreeji & Law.

Smaaash Entertainment, a gaming and entertainment company co-owned by Sachin Tendulkar has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 100% stake in bluO entertainment, PVR's JV with Thailand-based Major Cineplex Group, B, through a cash acquisition deal for Rs 86 crores ($13.46 million), as reported by Livemint.

DMD Advocates added S&R Associates counsel Jeremy Lynn Chagas Pereira as a partner in its litigation practice, and promoted Amity Delhi 2007 alumnus Sachit Jolly to partner in its direct tax practice.

ASDA Media & Entertainment Private Limited (ASDA), an INDASDA Group entity, has acquired a significant stake in Moshe's Fine Foods Private Limited from South Asia Gastronomy (Mauritius) Enterprises LLC, a food and beverage portfolio company and platform of private equity firm, New Silk Route, as reported by The Economic Times and Deal Street Asia.

Tatva Legal Delhi-based former managing partner Shishir Sharma and two non-equity partners - Seher Ali and Natasha Tuli - are rejoining Dua Associates, the firm Sharma had left seven years ago with 50 other lawyers from Dua in one of the largest-ever breakaways in the Indian legal market.

NUJS Kolkata 2015 alumni Jay Sayta, who reports on India’s gambling laws on his website glaws.in, and The Wire, are facing E-Cool Gaming Solutions' criminal defamation case in far-flung Mizoram for Sayta's story reporting on a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit of the complainant, reported Medianama.