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Rajasthan High Court · body

2022 DIGILAW 2093 (RAJ)

Bhajanlal S/o. Sh. Chutraram v. Chola Mandalam Investment And Finance Co. Ltd.

2022-07-22

ARUN BHANSALI, VIJAY BISHNOI

body2022
JUDGMENT : 1. This civil misc. appeal has been preferred by the appellant challenging the order dated 25.2.2022 passed by the Commercial Court No.1, Jodhpur (for short ‘the trial court) whereby, the application under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (for short ‘the Act of 1996’) filed by the appellant has been dismissed. 2. The facts of the case, not in dispute, are that the respondent–finance company has advanced loan facility to the appellant for purchasing three transport vehicles bearing registration numbers (A) RJ-19-GF-2376, (B) RJ-19-GF-3229 and (C) RJ-19-GF-4629 (for short ‘Vehicle-A, Vehicle-B and Vehicle C’) respectively in the year 2017. 3. As per the case of the appellant, he has not defaulted in making payment of monthly installments in respect of Vehicle-A, however, committed default in payment of monthly installments qua Vehicle-B and Vehicle-C. The Vehicle-A was seized by the recovery agent of the respondent-finance company on 11.8.2021 for the reason that the appellant committed default in making payment of monthly installments of Vehicle-B and Vehicle-C. 4. As per the loan agreement executed between the appellant and the respondent-finance company, there is an arbitration clause, however, before appointment of arbitrator, the appellant preferred application under Section 9 of the Act of 1996 before the trial court with a prayer that as an interim measure, the respondent-finance company may be directed to release the Vehicle-A seized by its recovery agent on 11.8.2021 and to issue further directions not to seize the same in future. 5. The respondent-finance company has contested the application claiming that as per Articles 10 and 11 of the loan agreement, it is well within its jurisdiction in seizing Vehicle-A though there is no default in making monthly installments in relation to that vehicle. It is claimed that as per Article 10 (v) & (w) and Article 11 (a) & (c) of the loan agreement, in the event of default under any other agreements with the Company, the rights of the borrower of the assets shall stand terminated void ipso facto and the borrower is bound to deliver the assets to the Company forthwith. 6. 6. Learned trial court after taking into consideration the Article 10 (v) & (w) and Article 11 (a) & (c) of the loan agreement has come to the conclusion that the respondent-finance company is very well within its jurisdiction in seizing the Vehicle-A as the appellant has committed default under the other agreements with the company. 7. Assailing the order impugned, learned counsel for the appellant has submitted that the trial court has grossly erred in rejecting the application under Section 9 of the Act of 1996 preferred by the appellant without taking into consideration the fact that when there is no default on the part of the appellant in paying monthly installments in relation to the Vehicle-A, the action of the respondent-finance company of seizing the said vehicle is illegal. 8. Learned counsel for the appellant, therefore, has prayed that the impugned order may be set aside and the application filed by the appellant under Section 9 of the Act of 1996 before the trial court be allowed. 9. Heard learned counsel for the appellant; perused the material available on record as well as the loan agreement (copy whereof is supplied by learned counsel for the appellant), executed between the appellant and the respondent-finance company while availing loan facility for the purpose of purchasing Vehicles -A, B and C respectively. 10. It is not in dispute that the appellant has executed agreements with the respondent-finance company while availing loan facilities for the purpose of purchasing Vehicles -A, B and C respectively. It is also not in dispute that the appellant has defaulted in paying monthly installments in relation to the Vehicle-B and Vehicle-C. 11. It would be appropriate to quote the relevant conditions of the loan agreement. “10. EVENTS OF DEFAULT : The following events shall constitute an “Event of Default.” xxxx (v) The Borrower/Guarantor is in breach of any other loan/facility/any agreement with any other person; or (w) The Borrower/Guarantor commits any default under any other agreements with the Company in which the Borrower/Guarantor is either himself a Borrower/Guarantor 11. “10. EVENTS OF DEFAULT : The following events shall constitute an “Event of Default.” xxxx (v) The Borrower/Guarantor is in breach of any other loan/facility/any agreement with any other person; or (w) The Borrower/Guarantor commits any default under any other agreements with the Company in which the Borrower/Guarantor is either himself a Borrower/Guarantor 11. REPOSSESSION, TERMINATION AND COMPANY’S OTHER RIGHTS : (a) On the occurrence of any of the aforesaid Events of Default contained in Article 10, the rights of the Borrower over the Asset shall stand determined void ipso facto without any notice and the Borrower shall be bound to deliver forthwith the Asset to the Company in the same condition in which it was originally received by him with all accessories/modifications done by Borrower whatsoever (in the case of vehicle), ordinary wear and tear excepted. Failure or refusal of the Borrower to surrender the Asset shall constitute unlawful retention of which the Company shall be entitled to initiate criminal action, without prejudice to other rights legal remedies available to the Company. (c) Company’s Other Rights : (i) It is specifically agreed between the parties that the charge created by the Borrower and/or the Guarantor as the case may be, with the Company under any other agreement shall be continuous regardless of all the dues under the said agreement being paid and the Company shall be at liberty to withhold the No Objection Certificate (NOC) on even completed agreements and to repossess and sell the vehicles/assets, without intervention of courts, given to the Borrower/Guarantor, under any other agreements towards realization of dues payable under this Agreement.” 12. A careful reading of Article 10 (v) & (w) and Article 11 (a) & (c) of the loan agreement reveals that if there is any breach of any condition on the part of the borrower under any other agreements with the company, the same shall constitute an event of default and in that situation, the rights of borrower stand void ipso facto without any notice and the borrower shall be bound to deliver forthwith the asset to the company and the company is at liberty to repossess and sell the vehicle/assets. 13. In such circumstances, we are of the view that the learned trial court has not committed any illegality in rejecting the application under Section 9 of the Act of 1996 preferred by the appellant vide order impugned. 14. 13. In such circumstances, we are of the view that the learned trial court has not committed any illegality in rejecting the application under Section 9 of the Act of 1996 preferred by the appellant vide order impugned. 14. Resultantly, there is no force in this civil misc. appeal and the same is hereby dismissed. 15. Stay petition is also dismissed.