HC allows sale of Singh brothers' holdings

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday allowed the sale of unencumbered shares of the firms of the former promoters of Ranbaxy Laboratories in listed companies to repay a ~35-billion arbitration award in favour of Japanese pharma major Daiichi Sankyo.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday allowed the sale of unencumbered shares of the firms of former promoters of India’s Ranbaxy Laboratories in listed companies to repay the ~35 billion arbitration award in favour of Japanese pharma major Daiichi Sankyo.

Justice Jayant Nath also directed the debtors to fully cooperate with the chartered accountant (CA), who was appointed a local commissioner in the matter, to sell these shares at the stock exchange. The court said the proceeds should be deposited with the registrar general of the high court and listed the matter for further hearing on May 14.

The order came after the CA submitted a report on May 8 giving the list of shares of the Singh brothers — Malvinder and Shivinder — their family members and firms including RHC Holding and Oscar Investments, in listed companies. “The local commissioner/CA is directed to sell the entire lot of unemcumbered shares of the respondents, other than respondent number 1 (Malvinder Singh) in listed companies,” the high court said.

The counsel for the Singh brothers told the court that the Debt Recovery Tribunal had ordered a stay on the sale of unencumbered assets of Malvinder Singh in a separate case by the YES Bank. The high court then sent a notice to the YES Bank seeking its response.

The court also issued notice to Daiichi on a plea by the brothers seeking a stay on the enforcement proceedings, as a Singapore court has reserved its judgment in an appeal by them against Daiichi's award. Singh brothers’ advocate said the judgment of the Singapore court was expected in June and the proceedings to enforce the award here should be stayed till then.