IN THE HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
ARUP KUMAR GOSWAMI, PARTH PRATEEM SAHU, JJ.
M/s Parth Concast Ltd. Through Mr. Balraj Garg – Appellant
Versus
State of Chhattisgarh - Respondent
WPC No. 3151 of 2016
Decided on : 03-11-2022
Companies Act, 1956 - Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 - Section 13(4), 22(zc), (zf), 35 - Chhattisgarh Audhyogik Bhoomi Avam Bhawan Prabandhan Niyam, 2015 - Rules 3.2.4.1, 3.4.2.5 and 3.4.2.11 - Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 - Sections 25, 26 - Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 - Section 21 - Transfer of Property Act, 1882 - Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 - Section 80 - Constitution of India, 1950 - Article 162 - Central Excise Act, 1944 - Section 11E - Lease Deeds - Refund of Transfer Charges - Prayer made for quashing of order issued by CSIDC and for substitution of name of petitioner in place of BISCPL in lease deeds for remaining lease hold rights over property, and for refund of transfer charges which petitioner had deposited under duress for transfer of one of parcels of lease hold properties - Held, Court is of opinion that demand of transfer fee made by CSIDC is not sustainable in law - It is, however, noticed that petitioner had deposited transfer fee in respect of lease deed, as it appears, without any demur, although stand is taken that such payment was made under duress without bringing on record relevant circumstance demonstrating same - Therefore, at this juncture, Court is not inclined to pass any direction for refund of transfer fee made by petitioner to CSIDC - Accordingly, CSIDC is directed to execute lease deeds in favour of petitioner for remaining terms of original lease deeds based on sale certificates issued - However, area of land in respect of which third party right had been created shall be excluded from original area for which lease deeds were earlier executed – Court further direct that registration and other statutory charges required for lease deeds to be executed will be borne by petitioner - Amounts paid by petitioner in terms of interim order shall be adjusted towards payment of registration fees - Petition allowed.
ORDER :
Arup Kumar Goswami, J.
Heard Mr. S.P. Upadhyay, learned senior counsel assisted by Mr. Ankit Pandey, learned counsel for the petitioner. Also heard Mr. Jitendra Pali, learned Deputy Advocate General appearing for respondent No.1, Mr. Prafull N. Bharat, learned senior counsel assisted by Mr. Ayaz Naved, learned counsel, appearing for respondents No.2 to 4 and Ms. Sharmila Singhai, learned senior counsel assisted by Mr. P.R. Patankar, learned counsel, appearing for respondent No.5.
2. The petitioner is a Company registered under the provisions of the Companies Act, 1956 engaged in the business of producing steel and iron products. The case of the petitioner, as presented in the writ petition, is that the Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation Limited (for short, ‘CSIDC’) had allotted four parcels of land situated at Industrial Development Center, Borai, Village Rasmada, District Durg to one M/s Brahaspati Iron and Steel Company Private Limited (for short, ‘BISCPL’), who is engaged in manufacturing of hot and cold rolled products of steel and ancillary purposes, on lease for a period of 99 years. Four lease deeds were executed on 16.04.2004, 08.01.2007, 30.01.2009 and 21.05.2009, in respect of Plot Nos.77A, 77B, 78, 79, 80, 105, 106, 107, 108A, 108B & Part 81 & 104, Plot Nos.65-74 (zone-c); Plot Nos. Part 82, 83 to 87 & Part 99, 100 to 102, and Plot Nos.88 to 98 Part 99, respectively. Lease deed dated 16.04.2004 was for the period 16.04.2004 to 15.04.2103 in respect of 4.004 hectares; lease deed dated 08.01.2007 was for the period 08.01.2007 to 07.01.2106 in respect of 6.245 hectares; lease deed dated 30.01.2009 was for the period 30.01.2009 to 29.01.2108 in respect of 2.897 hectares; and lease deed dated 21.05.2009 was for the period 21.05.2009 to 20.05.2108 in respect of 4.00 hectares.
3. BISCPL took loan from the State Bank of India, i.e. respondent No.5 after obtaining No Objection Certificate (for short, ‘NOC’) from CSIDC against creation of security interest over its lease hold rights in respect of properties in question. The BISCPL defaulted in repayment of its secured debt to respondent No.5 and respondent No.5 declared BISCPL as Non Performing Asset (for short, ‘NPA’) as per the provisions of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (for short, ‘SARFAESI Act’) and informed CSIDC in advance about initiating proceeding under the provision of Section 13(4) of the SARFAESI Act and for recovery of secured debt, took possession of the secured assets including the right to transfer by way of lease, assignment or sale for realizing the secured asset. An e-auction sale notice under Section 13(4) of the SARFAESI Act was published on 09.05.2015 for sale/transfer of the lease hold rights in the above mentioned properties.
4. The petitioner participated in the e-auction and was declared successful auction purchaser, and accordingly, sale certificate in respect of above mentioned properties was issued on 16.06.2015 upon payment of 25% of the total consideration amount of Rs.3,20,00,000/- to respondent No.5. The sale certificate was duly stamped by the petitioner by paying Rs.80,00,000/- as stamp duty and Rs.10,24,170/- as other ancillary registration charges on 24.06.2015. The petitioner paid Rs.12,80,00,000/- to respondent No.5 as total consideration for purchase of lease hold rights in the above mentioned properties.
5. By a letter dated 22.06.2015, CSIDC was informed by the petitioner about the purchase of lease hold rights, and accordingly, request was made for substitution of its name in place of BISCPL. By another letter dated 04.07.2015, the petitioner requested CSIDC for substitution of its name in place of BISCPL in the lease deeds.
6. A request was again made by another letter dated 07.07.2015 for substitution of its name in place of BISCPL. Once again, the petitioner wrote a letter on 10.07.2015 to CSIDC for substitution of name of the petitione
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Transfer fees cannot be levied without clear justification based on concrete policy application; a proper record examination is crucial in judicial decisions.
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