Case: Oil &amp; Natural Gas Corporation Ltd Vs. State Bank of India, Overseas Branch, Bombay

3. The appellant entered into a contract with a consortium of M/s. Saipem SPA/Snam Progetti of Italy for construction of a system of undersea pipelines known as the Gas Lift Pipelines. The work comprised ofsurvey, design and engineering, procurement, wrap and coat, fabrication, transportation, laying, installation, testing andine pipeline segments of approximately total length of 181.8 Kms. The contract price was to the tune of US $ 6,387,5000/plus Indian Rs.The scheduled completion date of the entire works subject to any requirements in the contract specifications as to the time of completion of any part of the work before completion of the whole, the whole of the work was to be completed by April 30, 1991. The contract also provided for levy of liquidated damages if the contractor failed to complete the entire works or any part thereof comprising the total turn key project before the respective scheduled completion date fixed for the entire works or part thereof at a rate equal to 3% of the total contract price for each months delay subject to a maximum of 10% of the contract price. The contractor was obliged to furnish a bank guarantee to cover liquidated damages for an amount equivalent to 10% of the contract price not later than 4 months prior to the scheduled completion date. However, if the projects completion date slips beyond the scheduled completion date, the contractor shall get validity of said guarantee suitably extended. In case, the contractor fails to provide the guarantee for liquidated damages within the time stipulated therein, the appellants shall be entitled to encash the performance guarantee. All disputes arising out or in connection with the contract shall be settled in accordance with the laws of India and the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in India. In compliance with this requirement, the contractor had furnished a bank guarantee from the State Bank of India, Overseas Branch, Bombay, to cover liquidated damages claim. That guarantee was for a sum of US $ 6,387,500As a result of protracted correspondence and extension or increase or decrease in value of Bank Guarantee the same was kept alive from time to time. On March 17, 1993 after taking into account the total delay of 306 days in completing the work, the appellant assessed the liquidated damages as US $ 4,320,432plus Indian Rs.5,515,959. Accordingly by letter dated March 17, 1993 the appellant advised the contractor to extend the bank guarantee for a further period of six months. The contractor was given certain options. The respondent Bank furnished an enhanced value of US $ 4,320,432plus Indian Rs.5,515,959 with validity upto October 4, 1993 under a covering letter of the same date. The appellant by its letter dated September 13, 1993 advised the contractor to extend the validity of the ank guarantee and on September 23, 1993 the contractor got issued a notice through a lawyer for referring the dispute to arbitration and also appointed its arbitrator. Again the appellant on September 27, 1993 informed the respondent Bank that the contractor was separately advised vide its letter date September 13, 1993 to extend the validity of the bank guarantee and in case the validity of the same is not extended on or before October 1, 1993, the said letter be treated as its notice invoking the said Bank guarantee. The contractor as well as the Bank not having honoured the terms of the bank guarantee, the appellant once again asked the respondent Bank to credit the said guarantee along with interest from October 4, 1993. On December 3, 1993 the respondent Bank stated that (a) they have issued the guarantee in question in favour of ONGC against the counter guarantee of the Italian Bank Credito Italiano, Milan and the contractor obtained an order of injunction from an Italian Court restraining Credito Italiano from making any payment to the respondent Bank under the counter guarantee; (b) they are also considering the question of validity or otherwise of the appellants demand for the guaranteed sum under the liquidated guarantee vide its letter dated September 27, 1993; (c) in terms of exchange control regulations, the rupee payment under the guarantee shall be made only on receipt of reimbursement from the foreign bank in an approved manner; (d) since the matter is subjudice, the appellant should wait until the issue is resolved. In the meanwhile, apart from engaging in correspondence both the appellant and respondent appeared through counsel before the Italian Court. It was contended that the bank guarantee is autonomous, unconditional and they are bound to honour the same irrespective of any counter guarantee they have from the Credito Italiano and that any proceeding with regard to enforcement of any such counter guarantee should not obstruct payment under the guarantee given by the respondent bank. The respondent Bank fearing that if the Italian Court order continuation of the restraint order, it would be difficult for them to get reimbursement from the Credito Italiano. In the alternative, they invited the court to restrain them so that they can avoid payment to the appellant under such guarantee and also an order directing the appellant not to request for payment from the respondent Bank under the said bank guarantee.In the circumstances, aggrieved by the refusal to honour the bank guarantee, the appellant filed a summary suit under Order XXXVII of the Code of Civil Procedure before the High Court of Judicature at Mumbai praying for a decree in a sum of US $ 4,320,432plus Indian Rs.5,515,959 and interest on the said amount at the rate of 18% per annum and pendente lite interest till payment of realisation.6. The High Court by order dated April 27, 1998 granted unconditional leave to defend the suit on the following terms : (i) while invoking the bank guarantee, vide letter dated September 27, 1993 the amount of liquidated damage was not stated; (ii) according to bank guarantee, a clear notice of demand towards liquidated damage was to be given; (iii) the notice dated September 27, 1993 was not a legal notice to communicate the liquidated damages; and (iv) arbitration proceedings is pending and the Italian Court is also seized of the matter. Aggrieved by that order, the appellant has filed this appeal by special leave.

Reasoning: Whether the respondent Bank could at all raise such a defence which is totally untenable. In the right of what is stated above, in the absence of a plea relating to fraud, much less of a finding thereto, we find that the court could not have stated that the defence raised by the respondent Bank on the grounds set forth earlier is sufficient to hold that unconditional leave should be granted to defend the suit.When, in fact, there is no defence for suit filed merely to rely upon an injunction granted or obtained in their favour does not carry the case of the respondent Bank any further. The only basis upon which the respondent Bank sought for and obtained the injunction is that in event the counter guarantee cannot be honoured by reason of the injunction granted by the Italian court the respondent Bank should be extended the similar benefit. But a perusal of the Foreign Exchange Manual makes it clear that none of the claims would be an impediment to make payment under the Bank Guarantee in question.