IN THE HIGH COURT OF CALCUTTA
Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, J.
Alogoma Steels Limited - Appellant
Vs.
Cic Steels Pvt. Ltd. And Another - Respondents
Review No. 84 of 2018, CAN No. 4501 of 2018, 4502 of 2018, Civil Order No. 993 of 2018
Decided On : 06-02-2019
DRT Act - Third Party Intervention - Sections 19, 60, 60-A of the DRT Act and TP Act - The court discussed the provisions of Section 19 of the DRT Act, which restricts the ambit of the entire section to borrowers and creditors, and the right of redemption under Section 60 and 60-A of the TP Act. The court held that the right of redemption was extinguished by the act of the applicant in applying for transfer in favor of the respondent no. 1, and the respondent no. 1 had complied with its part of the agreement, crystallized in the order dated December 15, 2017. The court dismissed the review and recall applications, upholding the order dated June 15, 2018 passed in C.O. No. 993 of 2018.
Fact of the Case:
The review petition sought to challenge the order under review primarily on the grounds that no third party could be impleaded in a proceeding under Section 19 of the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 (DRT Act), and that the statutory right of redemption was taken away by the order under review. The recall applicants alleged that the order under review was passed behind their back, and they had deposited the entire amount of consideration with the bank, and as such ought to have been given preference over the respondent no. 1.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the right of redemption was extinguished by the act of the applicant in applying for transfer in favor of the respondent no. 1, and the respondent no. 1 had complied with its part of the agreement, crystallized in the order dated December 15, 2017. The court dismissed the review and recall applications, upholding the order dated June 15, 2018 passed in C.O. No. 993 of 2018.
Issues: The issues revolved around the right of redemption under the DRT Act and TP Act, the intervention of a third party in the sale of the property, and the compliance with the agreement by the respondent no. 1.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the right of redemption was extinguished by the act of the applicant in applying for transfer in favor of the respondent no. 1, and the respondent no. 1 had complied with its part of the agreement, crystallized in the order dated December 15, 2017. The court dismissed the review and recall applications, upholding the order dated June 15, 2018 passed in C.O. No. 993 of 2018.
Final Decision: The court dismissed the review and recall applications, upholding the order dated June 15, 2018 passed in C.O. No. 993 of 2018.
Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, J.
Rvw 84 of 2018 and CAN 4502 of 2018 are taken up together for hearing, being directed against the same order - the former seeks review of an order dated June 15, 2018 passed in C.O. No. 993 of 2018 and the latter seeks recall of the same order.
2. The present review petition has been taken out by the opposite party no. 1 in C.O. No. 993 of 2018. The grounds of challenge to the order under review are primarily as follows:
3. That no third party (here the petitioner/present respondent no. 1, namely, CIC Steels Pvt. Ltd.) could be impleaded in a proceeding under Section 19 of the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 (hereinafter referred to as "the DRT Act").
4. Secondly, that since the present respondent no. 1 sought virtually to enforce an agreement allegedly entered into between the applicant and the respondent no. 1, the tribunal did not have jurisdiction to grant such relief and the petitioner/respondent no. 1 ought to have approached the appropriate forum, either for specific performance of contract or for damages.
5. Thirdly, the statutory right of redemption, which was available to the applicant, was taken away by the order under review.
6. Learned senior counsel appearing for the applicant places the provisions of Section 19 of the DRT Act in this context, which are set out below:
"Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 :-
19. Application to the Tribunal. - (1) Where a bank or a financial institution has to recover any debt from any person, it may make an application to the Tribunal within the local limits of whose jurisdiction, -
(a) the branch or any other office of the bank or financial institution is maintaining an account in which debt claimed is outstanding, for the time being; or
(aa) the defendant, or each of the defendants where there are more than one, at the time of making the application, actually and voluntarily resides, or carries on business, or personally works for gain; or
(b) any of the defendants, where there are more than one, at the time of making the application, actually and voluntarily resides, or carries on business, or personally works for gain; or
(c) the cause of action, wholly or in part, arises.
Provided that the bank or financial institution may, with the permission of the Debts Recovery Tribunal, on an application made by it, withdraw the application, whether made before or after the Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Law (Amendment) Act, 2004 for the purpose of taking action under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (54 of 2002), if no such action had been taken earlier under that Act:
Provided further that any application made under the first proviso for seeking permission from the Debts Recovery Tribunal to withdraw the application made under subsection (1) shall be dealt with by it as expeditiously as possible and disposed of within thirty days from the date of such application:
Provided also that in case the Debts Recovery Tribunal refuses to grant permission for withdrawal of the application filed under this sub-section, it shall pass such orders after recording the reasons therefor.
(1-A) Every bank being, multi-State co-operative bank referred to in sub-clause (vi) of clause (d) of Section 2, may, as its option, opt to initiate proceedings under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002 (39 of 2002) to recover debts, whether due before or after the date of commencement of the Enforcement of the Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws (Amendment) Act, 2012 from any person instead of making an application under this Chapter.
(1-B) In case, a bank being, multi-State co-operative bank referred to in sub-clause (vi) of clause (d) of Section 2 has filed an application under this Chapter and subsequently opts to withdraw the application for the purpose of initiating proceeding under the MultiState Co-operativ
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