Equifax Credit Information Services Private Limited vs Priyanka Communications India Pvt. Ltd. and 12 Ors. — Bombay HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

Equifax Credit Information Services Private Limited vs Priyanka Communications India Pvt. Ltd. and 12 Ors. — Bombay HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Condonation of delay granted for taking the defendants'/applicants' written statements on record, conditional on payment of Rs.20,000/- costs by each Applicant to the Plaintiff within two weeks of upload of the order; on confirmation of payment, the Registry to take the written statements on record. IA 2768 of 2025 disposed without directions; Defendants invited to file replies to IA 3748 of 2024 within four weeks; IA 2282 of 2025 listed with the relief applications on January 22, 2026.

Issue for consideration

Whether the Court should condone the delay and take the applicants'-defendants' written statements on record in Suit No. 207 of 2024. +3 more

Court's answer

The reasons advanced for the delay in filing the written statements were assessed as 'rather flimsy', particularly coming from commercial organizations operating in the financial sector and expected to work in a time-bound manner.

Ratio / Principle

Condonation was nonetheless considered appropriate because taking the written statements on record was expedient and necessary to address the interests of justice and to assist the Court to adjudicate the Suit.

Key takeaways

The written statements were permitted to be taken on record subject to payment of costs in the sum of Rs.20,000/- by each of the Applicants to the Plaintiff.ratio¶¶48
The costs were directed to be paid by each Applicant to the Plaintiff within two weeks from the date of upload of the order.ratio¶¶49
Subject to confirmation of the costs being paid, the Registry was directed to take the written statements on record.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bombay High Court (OOCJ) — Suit No. 207 of 2024 (Priyanka Communications India Pvt. Ltd. v. Union Bank of India & Ors.), order dated December 5, 2025 by Somasekhar Sundaresan, J.: (1) All captioned condonation-of-delay applications for taking written statements on record (i.e., all captioned applications except IA Nos. 2768 of 2025, 3748 of 2024 and 2282 of 2025) were allowed — the reasons for delay having been found 'rather flimsy', particularly for commercial organizations in the financial sector expected to work time-bound — but written statements permitted on record subject to costs of Rs. 20,000/- payable by each Applicant to the Plaintiff within two weeks from upload of the order; on confirmation of payment, the Registry to take the written statements on record; delays were triple-digit in days except for Defendant No.5 and Defendant No.11. (2) All the aforesaid condonation applications disposed of in those terms. (3) IA 2768 of 2025 (original Plaintiff's request to move the Suit to the undefended-suits category) disposed of without any directions, the other applications having been allowed. (4) Defendants given four weeks from upload to file replies to the interlocutory-relief application IA 3748 of 2024. (5) IA 2282 of 2025 by Defendant No.11 under Order 1 Rule 10 of the Civil Procedure Code, 1908, seeking its own deletion as neither a necessary nor a proper party, listed along with the relief applications on January 22, 2026.

17 & 23-IA-4967-2025+.doc

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION

INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 4967 OF 2025

IN

SUIT NO. 207 OF 2024

Equifax Credit Information Services Private Limited

…Applicant

Versus

Priyanka Communications India Pvt. Ltd & Ors …Respondents

WITH

INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 3731 OF 2025

WITH

INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 4964 OF 2025

IN

SUIT NO. 207 OF 2024

AND

SUIT NO. 207 OF 2024

Priyanka Communications India Pvt. Ltd. …Applicant

Versus

Union Bank Of India …Respondents

WITH

INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 4967 OF 2025

WITH

INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 4964 OF 2025

WITH

INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 3731 OF 2025

WITH

INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 5586 OF 2025

WITH

Digitally signed by ASHWINI ASHWINI JANARDAN JANARDAN VALLAKATI VALLAKATI Date: 2025.12.16 10:54:44 +0530

INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 5584 OF 2025

WITH

Page 1 of 5 December 5, 2025

Ashwini Vallakati

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INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 5565 OF 2025 WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 5563 OF 2025 WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 5562 OF 2025 WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 2768 OF 2025 WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 2368 OF 2025 WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 2282 OF 2025 WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 3748 OF 2024 IN SUIT NO. 207 OF 2024

Mr. Ali Abbas Delhiwala, a/w Rehmat Lokhandwala & Hrishikesh Nadkarni, i/b Pan India Services LLP, for the Plaintiff in S/207/24.

Mr. Mohit Sahani, i/b King Stubb & Kasiva, for Defendant No.10 in S/207/24 & for Respondent No.10 in IA/4967/25, 3731/25 & 4964/25.

Mr. Pradeep Bakhru, a/w Piyush Kranti for Applicant/original Defendant No.7 in IA/3731/25.

Mr. Aditya Manjrekar, i/b MLS Vani & Associates for Defendant Nos.8 & 9 in S/207/24 & for Applicant in IA/4964/25 & 4967/25.

Ms. Arunima Athavale, i/b Trilegal for Defendant No.11 in S/207/24.

CORAM : SOMASEKHAR SUNDARESAN, J. DATE : DECEMBER 5, 2025

ORDER : Condonation of Delay Applications :

Page 2 of 5 December 5, 2025

Ashwini Vallakati

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All these captioned Applications (other than Interim Application Nos. 2768 of 2025; 3748 of 2024; and 2282 of 2025) seek Condonation of Delay for taking on record the written statements. Except for Defendant No.5 and Defendant No.11, the delay in number of days runs into triple digits in all cases.

I have carefully examined the contents of the Interim Application. These reasons are rather flimsy, particularly coming from commercial organizations and that too when they are operating in the financial sector, and are expected to work in a time-bound manner in all matters. However, considering that the written statement would be expedient and necessary to address the interests of justice and to assist the Court to adjudicate the suit, it is considered appropriate to permit the written statements to be taken on record, subject to payment of costs in the sum of Rs.20,000/- by each of the Applicants to the Plaintiff.

Such costs shall be paid by each Applicant to the Plaintiff within a period of two weeks from the date of upload of this order. Subject to confirmation of such costs being paid, the Registry shall take the written statements on record.

Page 3 of 5 December 5, 2025

Ashwini Vallakati

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All the aforesaid Interim Applications are disposed of in the aforesaid terms.

Other Applications:

Interim Application No.2768 of 2025 is an Application filed by the original Plaintiff asking for the Suit to be transferred to the category of undefended suits. In view of the fact that the other Interim Applications have been allowed, this Interim Application also stands disposed of without any directions.

Interim Application No.3748 of 2024 is an Application seeking interlocutory relief. Should the Defendants desire to file a reply to the same, they may do so within a period of four weeks from the date of upload of this order.

Interim Application No.2282 of 2025 is an Application under Order 1 Rule 10 of the Civil Procedure Code, 1908 by Defendant No.11, seeking deletion of the Applicant on the premise that it is neither a necessary nor a proper party. The same shall also be listed along with the Interim Applications for interlocutory relief on January 22, 2026 .

Page 4 of 5 December 5, 2025

Ashwini Vallakati

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All actions required to be taken pursuant to this order shall

be taken upon receipt of a downloaded copy as available on this Court’s website.

[ SOMASEKHAR SUNDARESAN, J.]

Page 5 of 5 December 5, 2025

Ashwini Vallakati