Thane Civil Court Orders Karnataka Educational Trust To Pay ₹31.16 Lakh To Mumbai Businessman After 12-Year Legal Battle

A Civil court which ran in a 12-year-long legal battle was finally closed after the Thane Civil Court’s ordered a Karnataka-based Sharnbasveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha to pay ₹31.16 lakh in pending dues to Mumbai-based businessman Shivshankar Malakayya Hiremath, along with 10% annual interest from 2012.

The order was passed by Civil Judge A.C. Doiphode, who held that the entire commercial transaction was carried out by and on behalf of the Sangha, making it solely liable for the unpaid amount. “Ultimately, the managing committee members would be held responsible in case the decretal amount is not paid by the Sangh,” the court warned.

Hiremath, who owns a printing and publishing business in Powai, had filed the civil suit in 2012. According to his complaint, between January and October 2011, the Sangha placed printing orders amounting to ₹41.85 lakh across 13 invoices. While ₹10.68 lakh was paid between April and December 2011, a balance of ₹31.16 lakh remained outstanding.

The Sangha, along with its managing committee, principal, and press director, denied the claims and accused Hiremath of inflating bills and submitting forged invoices. They also argued that his pricing was significantly higher than market rates.

However, the court found that the Sangha had never disputed the actual completion of the printing jobs or the part-payment of over ₹10 lakh. Judge Doiphode emphasized that the plaintiff had submitted delivery challans signed by the Sangha’s authorized representatives—documents which remained undisputed even under cross-examination.

Recognizing the commercial nature of the dispute, the court invoked Section 34 of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC) to grant interest at 10% per annum from the date of the suit’s institution in 2012. The rate aligns with interest typically offered by nationalized banks like the State Bank of India on commercial transactions.

The court concluded that Hiremath had sufficiently proved both the execution of the printing jobs and the amount due. The judgment is a major relief for the Mumbai businessman who had been pursuing the claim for over a decade.

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