IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
NARESH H. PATIL, NITIN W. SAMBRE, JJ.
Felguera Gruas India Private Limited - Petitioners
Versus
Tuticorin Coal Terminal Private Limited & Others - Respondents
Commercial Appeal (L) Nos. 20 of 2018, 21 of 2018, 22 of 2018, 23 of 2018, 24 of 2018, 25 of 2018 in Arbitration Petition (L) No. 366 of 2016, 367 of 2016, 368 of 2016, 369 of 2016, 370 of 2016, 371 of 2016 with Notice of Motion (L) Nos. 30 of 2018, 31 of 2018, 32 of 2018, 33 of 2018, 34 of 2018, 35 of 2018
Decided On : 10-04-2018
Constitution Of India,1950 - Article 1 - Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 - Section 9 - Advance payment - Claim Bank Guarantee - India Private Limited hereinafter referred to as FGIPL for short) preferred Arbitration Petition Section Arbitration and Conciliation for short referred to praying for interim injunction against encashment of Advance/Down Payment Bank Guarantees and Performance Bank Guarantees which were furnished by FGIPL to Respondent Coal Terminal hereinafter referred to as “TCTPL” for short - These guarantees were furnished consequent to six purchase orders particulars of subject Bank Guarantees and Purchase orders are set out in judgment delivered by Single Judge- FGIPL is Company incorporated under provisions of Companies Act company is in business of undertaking turn key projects across country- It offers end services in design testing commissioning manufacturing sourcing supply and construction- It has executed several major projects in Ports –Held case we find that view of Supreme Court Mahatma Gandhi case cited supra applies to present guarantees in question distinction sought to be made in respect of Articles Guarantees and reliance on case of Apex Court is misplaced one in our view and is not convincing one- view adopted by learned Single Judge is sound reasonable and convincing one special purpose Vehicle which was making losses and its debts exceeds its equity- This proposition has been dealt with by Counsel appearing for respondents- In submissions Counsel though contention has been denied on said proposition that TCTPL is making losses same could not be ground for Court to grant an injunction against TCTPL from invoking Bank Guarantee- It is contention of TCTPL that they have infused capital project - Concession Agreement executed between parties - During this period TCTPL will be entitled to recover tariff from users of Project Facilities and services total estimated revenue during balance concession period shall of case we find that appellants have failed to make out a case for interfering in view adopted by learned Single Judge- Court find that learned Single Judge adopted a reasonable and sound view based on facts and material placed before Court by harmoniously construing relevant clauses of advance and performance bank guarantees- There is no merit in these appeals – Order accordingly
NARESH H. PATIL, J.
1. These appeals arise out of judgment and order passed by the learned Single Judge on 11th January,2018. As issues involved in these appeals are similar, by consent the appeals are heard finally at admission stage and are being disposed of accordingly.
2. The appellants M/s. Felguera Gruas India Private Limited (hereinafter referred to as 'FGIPL' for short) preferred Arbitration Petition under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (for short referred to as 'the Act') praying for interim injunction against encashment of the Advance/Down Payment Bank Guarantees and Performance Bank Guarantees which were furnished by the FGIPL to the Respondent No.1 – Tuticorin Coal Terminal Pvt. Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “TCTPL” for short). These guarantees were furnished consequent to six purchase orders. The particulars of subject Bank Guarantees and Purchase orders are set out in the judgment delivered by the learned Single Judge. FGIPL is a Company incorporated under the provisions of the Companies Act, 1956. The company is in the business of undertaking turn key projects across the country. It offers end to end services in design, testing, commissioning, manufacturing, sourcing, supply and construction. It has executed several major projects in Ports.
3. TCTPL is a Private Company incorporated under the provisions of the Companies Act,1956. They entered into a Concession Agreement on 11th September, 2010 with the Board of Trustees for Tuticorin Port (“Concessioning Authority”) for Development of North Cargo BerthII (NCBII) for handling bulk cargoes at Tuticorin Port on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer basis. This concessional agreement was operational for a period of 30 years. In the year 2012, FGIPL offered services to TCTPL for supplying as well as designing, erecting and commissioning of stacker-cum-reclaimers, stacker and conveyor system. A Letter of Intent was entered into accordingly. There were six purchase orders under the contract entered into between the parties. Each purchase order had clause for advance payment, down payment, bank guarantee and performance bank guarantee. FGIPL issued Down Payment Bank Guarantee and Performance Bank Guarantee in favour of TCTPL in respect of each Purchase Order. In the petition filed under Section 9 of the Act, FGIPL seeks injunction from invoking the guarantees mainly on the ground that they were conditional. The guarantees were worth Rs.43 Crores. An injunction against respondents 2 and 3 bank from releasing the amounts under the said Bank Guarantees, in favour of respondent no.1 is sought by the appellant. The grounds were that the guarantees were conditional and could be invoked if the appellants had defaulted in complying with their obligations under the Purchase Orders. There were special equities in favour of appellants. According to appellants the TCTPL had admitted in correspondence that Rs.32 Crores was payable to the appellants. It is the case of the appellants that irretrievable injustice and injury would be caused to the appellants if respondent no.1 was permitted to encash the bank guarantees. Respondent no.1 is a Special Purpose Vehicle which is making losses.
4. By an order dated 10th March, 2016 the appellants obtained ex parte order passed by the learned Single Judge in favour of the appellants in terms of prayer clauses (b) and( c) of the petition i.e. restraining Respondents 2 and 3, the two Banks from releasing the amounts under the Guarantees in favour of Respondent No.1 or anyone else.
5. We may reproduce the paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Advance Bank Guarantee and Performance Bank Guarantee as under:
ADVANCE BANK GUARANTEE
“NOW THEREFORE IN CONSIDERATION OF THE FOREGOING PREMISES AND FOR OTHER GOOD AND VALUABLE CONSIDERATION, THE RECEIPT AND LEGAL SUFFICIENCY OF WHICH IS HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGED. THE GUARANTOR HEREBY ABSOLUTELY AND IRREVOCABLY AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PURCHASER AS FOLLOWS:
1. IF THE DELIVERY OBLIGATI
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