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2015 Supreme(AP) 372

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT HYDERABAD FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AND THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH
Ramesh Ranganathan and S. Ravi Kumar, JJ.
ICICI Bank Limited - Appellant
Vs.
IVRCL Ltd. and Ors. - Respondents
CMA No. 489 of 2015
Decided On: 10.08.2015

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For Appellant/Petitioner/Plaintiff: L. Ravichander, Learned Senior Counsel and S. Niranjan, Learned Counsel
For Respondents/Defendant: D.V. Sitharam Murthy, Learned Senior Counsel for Thoom Srinivas, Learned Counsel

Headnote:

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 –Section 37 – Tender - Bank guarantees – Invocation of - Appeal - Grant injunction restraining the Nepal Electricity authority from invoking the bank guarantees issued by the appellant through Bank Limited Investment Bank Limited, nd to restrain the appellant and respondents 3 and 4 from bank guarantees – Petition filed by them before the Court below, under Section 9 of the Act, the 1st respondent stated that the 2nd respondent had invited a tender for construction of civil works they participated in tender process, and were the successful bidder; a letter of intent was issued on and a letter of acceptance was issued by respondent to the 1st respondent an agreement was entered into between respondent had violated the conditions of the contract; they had, by their letter dated proposed appointment of a dispute adjudication board and Sharma as the arbitrator, but to no avail; they had issued four bank guarantees through respondents 3 and 4 to for various amounts; two of them were valid till remaining two were valid appellant had, in turn, given a counter-guarantee to respondents – Held, Respondent in terminating the contract, but has also sought a direction from the Appellate Court in Nepal to the respondents not to invoke or cause to invoke the bank-guarantees; and to direct respondents 3 and 4 not to make payment or cause to make payment of these bank-guarantees. Having failed in their attempt in securing relief from the Appellate Court in Nepal, and even though petition filed by them is still pending before the said court, the first respondent has indulged in forum shopping, and has surreptitiously invoked the jurisdiction of Court below – In petition filed by them, before the Court below under Section 9 of the Act, the first respondent has suppressed the fact of their having invoked the jurisdiction of Appellate Court in Nepal. Their attempt to now justify such suppression of material facts is, as noted hereinabove, without any basis for the relief sought by them before the Appellate Court in Nepal did not relate merely to the termination of the contract but also to invocation of the bank-guarantees issued in second respondent by respondents first respondent has failed to show good faith, in making the application under Section 9 of the Act, as they have suppressed the material fact of their having invoked the jurisdiction of the Court at Nepal. Further no serious questions of fact or law arose for consideration in the petition filed by them under Section 9 of the Act balance of convenience clearly lay in allowing the normal banking transactions to go forward – Furthermore respondent has failed to establish how they would be put to irreparable loss unless an interim injunction is granted – Application is allowed.

Judgment

Ramesh Ranganathan, J.

1. This appeal is preferred by ICICI Bank Limited (hereinafter called the appellant), under Section 37(1)(a) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, (hereinafter called the Act), aggrieved by the order passed by the Chief Judge, City Civil Court, Hyderabad in Arbitration OP No. 1031 of 2015 dated 22.06.2015. The appellant herein is the 2nd respondent in O.P. No. 1031 of 2015. The said O.P. was filed by the 1st respondent herein under Section 9 of the Act requesting the Court below to grant an injunction restraining the Nepal Electricity authority (2nd respondent herein) from invoking the bank guarantees issued by the appellant through Laxmi Bank Limited, Nepal and Nepal Investment Bank Limited, Nepal (respondents 3 and 4 herein); and to restrain the appellant and respondents 3 and 4 from honouring or encashing the bank guarantees. Parties shall, hereinafter, be referred to as they are arrayed in this appeal.

2. In the petition filed by them before the Court below, under Section 9 of the Act, the 1st respondent stated that the 2nd respondent had invited a tender for construction of civil works; they participated in the tender process, and were the successful bidder; a letter of intent was issued on 07.10.2010, and a letter of acceptance was issued by the 2nd respondent to the 1st respondent; an agreement was entered into between respondents 1 and 2 on 04.11.2010; the 2nd respondent had violated the conditions of the contract; they had, by their letter dated 10.01.2014, proposed appointment of a dispute adjudication board, and Mr. Dinakar Sharma as the arbitrator, but to no avail; they had issued four bank guarantees through respondents 3 and 4 to respondent No. 2 for various amounts; two of them were valid till 15.07.2016 and the remaining two were valid upto 15.07.2015; the appellant had, in turn, given a counter-guarantee to respondents 3 and 4 banks; the 2nd respondent held the bank guarantees of respondents 3 and 4 which were counter-guaranteed by the appellant; the 2nd respondent failed to fulfill its obligations for execution of the contract, in making payment, in the appointment of a dispute adjudication board, in the supply of drawings, and in obtaining clearances from the prescribed authorities; the 2nd respondent had, under the guise of the contract agreement, cheated the 1st respondent, and had played fraud on them extracting work from them without making any payment; there was no drawback or failure, in the performance of the contract, by them; the 2nd respondent had, with a fraudulent intention and with the intention of extracting money from them, been trying to invoke the bank guarantees without providing sufficient cause or reason; and if the 2nd respondent was not restrained from encashing the bank guarantees, two of which would expire by 15.07.2015 and the other two by 15.07.2016, they would be put to grave and irreparable loss and injury.

3. Before the Court below, the first respondent herein contended that the 2nd respondent failed to give them the drawings even after one year from the date of signing of the contract; they had, by their letter addressed to the 2nd respondent on 29.08.2011, invoked the arbitration clause, and had sought appointment of the dispute adjudication board as per Clause 20.2 of the conditions of contract; they had nominated Mr. Dinakar Sharma as the arbitrator on their behalf; there was no response from the 2nd respondent to their letter dated 29.08.2011; they sent a reminder on 21.11.2011, requesting the 2nd respondent to appoint the dispute adjudication board; the 2nd respondent sent a reply only on 01.12.2011 informing them that the appointment of the dispute adjudication board was under consideration, and the process of appointment was at a final stage; meetings were held on 16.04.2013, 08.05.2013, 10.05.2013 and on various other dates in which high level officials of the 2nd respondent participated; they had assured the 1st respondent that they















































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