ORDER

1. This is a petition filed under Sections 433 and 439 of the Indian Companies Act (I of 1956), for an order that the East Coast Transport and Shipping Company (Private) Limited, Masulipatnam, be wound up and for certain other incidental reliefs.

2. The East Coast Transport and Shipping Company, Masulipatnam (hereinafter referred to as “the Company”) is a private limited company which was incorporated under the Indian Companies Act, in the year 1937. Its authorised and paid up share capital is Rs. 2,00,000/- divided into forty shares of Rs. 5,000/-. These forty shares are held by five share-holders, viz.: the petitioner and respondents 2 to 5; the petitioner and respondents 2 and 3 owning ten shares each and respondents 4 and 5 owning 5 shares each. The main activity of the Company consists in conducting the business of clearing and forwarding agents for loading goods in the Masulipatnam Port into ships which anchor at a distance from the shore through country craft owned and possessed by it. Among the properties acquired by the Company on its formation are the rights, interests and the benefits of all existing contracts then possessed by P.V. Rangayya of Masulipatnam and his