IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
BHARGAV D. KARIA, J.
M/S. SUGARWALA TRADELINK PRIVATE LIMITED - Appellant
Versus
AUTHORIZED OFFICER, BANK OF INDIA - Respondent
SPECIAL CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 17271 of 2021
Decided On : 26-11-2021
Constitution of India,1950 - Articles 226 and 227 - Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interests Act, 2002 - Sections 13(2), 13(3-A) , 14 sub-Section 3 of 13 and 13(4) - Banking Regulation Act, 1949 - Taking physical possession of the properties - mortgaged - Debts Recovery - record the sanction letter granting financial assistance - Petitioner No.1-Company availed financial assistance as cash credit limit for working capital from Respondent- Bank - Petitioner Nos. 2 to 6 are directors and guarantors for financial assistance rendered by Respondent-Bank to Petitioner No.1 - Petitioners have not produced on record the sanction letter granting financial assistance to petitioner No.1- Company nor petitioners have produced any bank statement, which is bound to be provided by the Respondent-Bank of cash credit account and petitioner has not stated that statement was not provided by respondent-Bank to petitioners amount lent by the Respondent-Bank as cash credit must have been reflected from day-to-day transactions carried out by petitioner No.1-Company - Cash credit limit sanctioned Petitioner No.1-Company could not maintain and cross the limit of cash credit by not making payment for more than 90 days - Held, Event of non-payment of secured debts receipt of the notice under sub-section (2), the borrower makes any representation or raises any objection secured creditor shall consider such representation or objection and if the secured creditor comes to conclusion that such representation or objection is not acceptable or tenable - Representation or objection the reasons for non-acceptance of the representation or objection to the borrower: Provided that reasons so communicated or likely action of secured creditor at stage of communication of reasons shall not confer any right upon the borrower to prefer an application to Debts Recovery Tribunal under section 17 - sanctioned as cash credit was is mentioned as the principal amount and the amount payable by the borrower, i.e. petitioner No.1- Company – petition dismissed.
ORDER :
1. Heard, learned Advocate Mr. Mohit Gupta for the petitioners.
2. By this petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, the petitioners have prayed for the following reliefs;
(a) YOUR LORDSHIPS BE PLEASED to pass a writ of certiorari or any appropriate writ, order or direction to quash the impugned order dated 09.11.2021 passed in SA No. 142 of 2021 by the Ld. Presiding Officer, DRT-II at Ahmedabad as Annexure D to this petition in the interest of justice.
(b) YOUR LORDSHIPS BE PLEASED to pass a writ of certiorari or any appropriate writ, order or direction to quash the impugned order dated 17.03.2021 passed by the Ld. Collector which is annexed at Annexure-K as being without jurisdiction, illegal and in breach of the provisions of the SARFAESI Act, in the interest of justice.
(c) YOUR LORDSHIPS BE PLEASED to stay the action of the Respondent bank under the provisions of the SARFAESI Act, 2002 qua the Petitioners including stay of the order dated 17.03.2021 passed by the Ld. Magistrate, Rajkot at Annexure – L (Colly.) and intimation/notice dated 17.08.2021 issued by the Ld. Mamlatdar, Rajkot at Annexure-A and restrain the Respondent bank from dispossessing the petitioners from their premises pending admission, hearing and final disposal of the petition;
(d) YOUR LORDSHIPS BE PLEASED may be pleased to stay the operation and implementation of the order dated 17.03.2021 passed by the Ld. Collector which is annexed at Annexure – K and all subsequent steps pending admission and final disposal of the petition.
(e) ...”
3. The brief facts of the case are that Petitioner No.1-Company availed financial assistance of Rs.5.00/- crore as cash credit limit for working capital from the Respondent- Bank, whereas, Petitioner Nos. 2 to 6 are the directors and the guarantors for the financial assistance rendered by the Respondent-Bank to Petitioner No.1.
3.1 It is pertinent to note that the petitioners have not produced on record the sanction letter granting financial assistance to petitioner No.1- Company nor the petitioners have produced any bank statement, which is bound to be provided by the Respondent-Bank of cash credit account and the petitioner has not stated that statement was not provided by the respondent-Bank to the petitioners wherein the amount lent by the Respondent-Bank as cash credit must have been reflected from the day-to-day transactions carried out by the petitioner No.1-Company.
3.2 It appears that pursuant to the cash credit limit sanctioned Petitioner No.1-Company could not maintain and cross the limit of cash credit by not making payment for more than 90 days and therefore, as per the guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank of India from time to time and under the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, the account of Petitioner No.1-Company was classified as ‘Non-peforming Asset’ (in brief, ‘NPA’), on 30th April, 2018 .
3.3 The Respondent-Bank issued notice on 1st June, 2018 to Petitioner No.1-Company under Section 13(2) of the Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interests Act, 2002 (hereinafter, ‘SARFAESI Act’) specifying as under:
| Nature of Facility | Sanctioned Limit (Rs.) | Outstanding Dues (Rs.) as on the date of NPA-30-04-2018 |
| Cash Credit | 5,00,00,000 | 5,23,58,343.91 |
| Total | 5,00,00,000 | 5,23,58,343.91 |
3.4 In the notice issued by the Respondent-Bank, it was also pointed out that the cash credit facility granted by the Respondent-Bank is secured by way of creating charge on various assets.
3.5 It appears that similar notices were also issued to Petitioner Nos. 2 to 7 with regard to the properties, which are mortgaged by the petitioners under Section 13(2) of the SARFAESI Act.
3.6 The petitioners therefore raised objections under Section 13(3-A) of the SARFAESI Act on 30th July, 2018, against the notice issued under Section
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.