Stobart Group has sacked former boss Andrew Tinkler from the board within the newest twist in a bitter energy battle at the proprietor of Southend and Carlislie airports.
The agency is suing Mr Tinkler to court docket for "breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty", it mentioned.
Mr Tinkler claimed the board had defamed him as a part of a authorized dispute with Stobart Group.
He is in search of to take away chairman Iain Ferguson in a vote at the agency's AGM.
Mr Tinkler was chief government of Stobart Group for a decade till he stepped apart final yr to concentrate on a agency referred to as Stobart Capital, however remained on the Stobart board.
The dispute between Mr Tinkler and Mr Ferguson erupted after Mr Tinkler got here up with a proposal late final yr to purchase the airline Flybe.
Relations deteriorated between Mr Tinkler and the agency final month when he informed the board he deliberate to oppose the re-election of Mr Ferguson as chairman at Stobart Group's annual assembly on 28 June.
Mr Tinkler, former director Allan Jenkinson, and Neil Woodfood of Woodford Investment Management have banded collectively to attempt to oust Mr Ferguson as chairman. Together, they management about a third of the shares within the firm.
They are in search of to switch Mr Ferguson with Philip Day, chief government of Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group.
However, Invesco, which has about a 24% holding, has declined to help the transfer.
The agency responded on 29 May by advising buyers to re-elect Mr Ferguson. Mr Tinkler has alleged this letter was defamatory and is suing 5 administrators for defamation.
In current weeks Stobart Group has begun pursuing Mr Tinkler within the courts for a tax legal responsibility it says is value £three.8m plus curiosity.
This week the legislation agency Rosenblatt despatched Mr Tinkler's legal professionals a letter that has been seen by the BBC. The letter alleges that he tried to revenue from the proposed Flybe deal in a manner that might have been detrimental to Stobart Group.
The letter additionally alleges that Mr Tinkler has taken "numerous and substantial" bills out of the corporate.
Mr Tinkler mentioned the allegations within the Rosenblatt letter contained "malicious falsehoods" and that he'll "rigorously defend himself against the chairman and chief executive's attempts to defame him".
Stobart Group, which is value greater than £800m, is separate from the highway transport agency Eddie Stobart Logistics. That agency can be listed on the London market and is value simply over £500m.