IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
S. RAVINDRA BHAT, DEEPA SHARMA, JJ.
Vijay Kumar Sharma - Appellant
Versus
Vijay Kumar Kapoor & Ors. - Respondents
CO.APP. 50 of 2013 & C.M. Nos. 11516 & 11518 of 2013; EFA (OS) 9 & 12 of 2012; CO. APP. 61 of 2013 & C.M. Nos. 13310-13312 of 2013
Decided On : 16-03-2017
AUCTION SALE - VALIDITY - COMPANY APPEALS - EXECUTION APPEALS - LIFTING OF CORPORATE VEIL - SECTION 441, 536 AND 537 OF COMPANIES ACT, 1956 - SUIT PROPERTY - TITLE DISPUTE - WINDING UP ORDER -
Fact of the Case:
Yusuf Engineering Co (P) Ltd (YECPL) preferred two execution appeals and two company appeals. The first set of two appeals are preferred by Yusuf challenging the sale of the suit property pursuant to a court order dated 30.09.2011 and a further stay of proceedings in Execution Petition No. 135/2010. The other application, EA 5/12 was by Manish Katyal (auction purchaser) who sought confirmation of the auction sale. Yusuf’s applications were dismissed and those of the auction purchaser were allowed, by the learned Single Judge, in the order dated 02.03.2012. Yusuf prefers the two execution appeals, i.e. EFA 9 and 12/2012 against the said judgment. The second set of appeals is by Vijay Sharma (Co. A. No. 50/2013) and D.K. Warehouse Pvt. Ltd (Co. A. No. 61/2013- hereafter “DK Warehouse”). These appeals, preferred under Section 483 of the Companies Act, 1956 (hereafter called “company appeals”) are directed against an order of the Company Judge dated 07.05.2013 in CP 265/1998. The company appeals also pertain to the suit property.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the auction purchaser is a bona fide purchaser, without notice of dispute regarding the title to the suit property. The court also held that the learned Single Judge, in lifting the corporate veil, to discern the real involvement of individuals who set up a network of corporate entities to evade their liabilities and also to dupe the innocent public, cannot be faulted. The court further held that the lifting of ARD and Yusuf’s corporate veil was justified and warranted. As far as D.K. Warehouse goes, the court held that its claim to have purchased the property in a bona fide manner, after the auction sale, is without foundation.
Issues: Whether the auction sale of the suit property was valid.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the auction purchaser is a bona fide purchaser, without notice of dispute regarding the title to the suit property. The court also held that the learned Single Judge, in lifting the corporate veil, to discern the real involvement of individuals who set up a network of corporate entities to evade their liabilities and also to dupe the innocent public, cannot be faulted. The court further held that the lifting of ARD and Yusuf’s corporate veil was justified and warranted. As far as D.K. Warehouse goes, the court held that its claim to have purchased the property in a bona fide manner, after the auction sale, is without foundation.
Final Decision: The company appeals are dismissed; the applications to recall the order dismissing the execution appeals is also, for the same reason, dismissed. There shall be no order on costs.
S. Ravindra Bhat, J.
1. This common judgment disposes off four appeals (two execution appeals and two company appeals), because of the twining of facts. They relate to one property A-24, Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase I (hereafter “the suit property”). The first set of two appeals are preferred by Yusuf Engineering Co (P) Ltd (hereafter “Yusuf” or “YECPL”) which had filed EA 668-69/2011 claiming an order to set aside the sale of the suit property pursuant to a court order dated 30.09.2011 and a further stay of proceedings in Execution Petition No. 135/2010. The other application, EA 5/12 was by Manish Katyal (hereafter “the auction purchaser”) who sought confirmation of the auction sale. Yusuf’s applications were dismissed and those of the auction purchaser were allowed, by the learned Single Judge, in the order dated 02.03.2012. Yusuf prefers the two execution appeals, i.e. EFA 9 and 12/2012 against the said judgment (the said two appeals are hereafter referred to as the “execution appeals”). The second set of appeals is by Vijay Sharma (Co. A. No. 50/2013) and D.K. Warehouse Pvt. Ltd (Co. A. No. 61/2013- hereafter “D.K. Warehouse”). These appeals, preferred under Section 483 of the Companies Act, 1956 (hereafter called “company appeals”) are directed against an order of the Company Judge dated 07.05.2013 in CP 265/1998. The company appeals also pertain to the suit property.
Facts relevant to the execution appeals
2. Yusuf purchased the suit property by a registered deed dated 22.12.1992. Its predecessor-in-interest had acquired perpetual leasehold rights from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) through a deed dated 25.09.1980. It is alleged that on 27.11.2003, the suit property was let out to M/s Ambica Research Development (hereafter “ARD”) a proprietorship concern of Ms. Anita Jain. It is stated that such an arrangement had the approval of the concerned authorities and that later, a greater portion of the suit property on the ground and first floors etc. were let out through a lease deed for three years to ARD on 10.02.2006, by a lease deed. Another lease deed was later executed on 01.08.2009. Apparently, in the meanwhile, on 01.09.2005, Ms. Anita Jain married Mr. V.K. Sharma (appellant in one of the company appeals). A dispute had, in the meanwhile arisen between ARD and one Vijay Kapoor (hereafter called the “decree holder” or “DH”), was referred to arbitration. An award was rendered, adverse to ARD, i.e. the proprietorship concern of Ms. Anita Jain, on 6th January, 2010, holding her liable to pay Rs.21,01,875.37 with interest @ 9% per annum from 2006. This award became the subject matter of the execution proceedings, EP 135/2010. In that proceeding, on 26th August 2010, the court attached the suit property as well as another property. The JD appeared through counsel before the Joint Registrar (JR) on 2nd December 2010 and stated that a petition was filed under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act (hereafter “the Act”) to challenge the award. The JR noted that since there was no stay of the proceedings, draft sale proclamation schedule should be filed within four weeks. On the next date, i.e. 25th January 2011 since the JD did not appear, the JR directed notice under Order XXI Rule 54, CPC. One Kiran Mittal filed EA No. 95/2011 seeking for the setting aside of the order dated 26th August 2010 of the court- but insofar as it related to some other property, (80-4/3, Forest Lane, Sainik Farms,) New Delhi and not the suit property. The court directed proclamation of sale on 02.06.2011 and 30.09.2011. On 25th October 2011, the sale proclamation was advertised in English and Hindi dailies. On 15.11.2011 auction of the suit property was conducted and Manish Katyal was the highest bidder at Rs.1,24,00,000/-. The reserve price of the disputed property was kept at Rs.35,00,000/-.
3. In the two applications filed in execution proceedings, Yusuf claimed that the property in question had been leased by it to ARD
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