Bone of contention in Tunday kebab legacy

LUCKNOW: For people of Lucknow, Tunday is synonymous with kebab while its unique flavour and aroma have found patrons across the globe.
But the name of Haji Murad Ali, a royal khansama from Bhopal whose mix of spices made the traditional galaoti kebabs scale new heights of taste, is at the centre of a family dispute that has reached the court.
The legacy of his name and secret recipe is a bone of contention between the children of his brothers since Murad Ali died childless.The battle has now reached the Delhi High Court and is slated for a hearing on September 26.
On one side of the battle is Mohammad Usman, grandson of Ali’s younger brother Mehdi, who says that he and his father Haji Mohammad Riaz are the real custodians of Tunday kebabs for more than 65 years. Mohammad Muslim, the son of Ali’s elder brother Mashooq’s daughter Kaiser Jahan, says he has equal stake to the legacy because Murad adopted Kaiser Jahan after Mashooq’s death.
Both sides offer several documents to prove their point. “We got the Tunday Kababi title registered as a trademark way back in 1995 and got the secret recipe patented about 10 years ago. The franchisee outlets are illegal,” claims Usman Ali.