M/S.Integrated Finance Company v. Integrated Finance Company Depositors Association
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 27-04-2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE P.T. ASHA IN CP NO. 172 OF 2012 M/s.Integrated Finance Company Ltd., No.10 R-block, Ii Floor, Prem Nagar Colony, South Boag Road, T.Nagar, Chennai-600 017.
..Petitioner(s) Vs
1. Integrated Finance Company Depositors Association Rep.by Mr.Josey oommen, S/o. Mr.M.A.Oommen, At No.2B, Neelima, Muttambalam, Kottayam 686 004 Kerala (impleaded as petitioner vide order dt 12.06.2015 in C.A.No.904/2014 in CP.No.172/2012
2. The Official Liquidator Madras High Court as the Provisional Liquidator of M/s. Integrated Finance Company Ltd (In Provisional Liquidator) ..Respondent(s)
For Petitioner(s):
Mr.V.P.Raman For Respondent(s):
Mr.T.Gowthaman, Senior Counsel for Mr.B.Pachaiyappan.
ORDER
This Application has been filed to permit the authorised signatory appointed by this Hon'ble Court vide order dated 10.02.2015 to continue to represent Applicant Company in all legal proceedings and other proceedings, including but not limited to signing vakalat, pleadings, tendering evidence and do all necessary acts in connection with the above.
2. Originally, by order dated 10.02.2015 in Comp. A. No. 1215 of 2014 in C.P. No. 172 of 2012, this Court had permitted the Law Officer of the Company, Ms. A. Hema Jothi, to represent the Company as its authorised signatory for the purpose of filing pleadings, affidavits, and to depose before the Court on its behalf. This permission came to be extended from time to time. However, by order dated 23.11.2023, this Court expressed doubt as to how the Law Officer of a company under provisional liquidation had been permitted to represent its interests for over eight years. The said doubt was reiterated by order of this Court dated 11.01.2024, and the matter was directed to be placed before the Hon'ble Chief Justice for appropriate orders. A similar order was
also passed on 12.01.2024. Thereafter, the matter has been placed before this Court under the caption "Specially Ordered Case."
3. This Court further by order dated 22.03.2019 in C.A.No.48 of 2018 in C.P.No.l72 of 2012 had observed as follows:- "6. The Official Liquidator attached to this Court ('OL for brevity) represented by Deputy OL Shri.Bavisetty Sridhar requests for a clarification that the OL has no role qua the company under liquidation. In the light of the trajectory, this matter has taken thus far, there was no dispute or disagreement before this Court that Official Liquidator, has no role (at present) qua Integrated Finance Company Depositors Association, which is under liquidation in the main Company Petition. This position is recorded. "
4. Since the applicant company is unable to proceed with the execution of the various decrees in the absence of an authorised signatory, particularly in light of the doubt expressed by the learned Judge of this Court, the present application has been filed seeking the reliefs stated supra.
5. The learned counsel for the contesting respondent has no objection to the Application being allowed, accordingly this Application is allowed and the Law Officer of the Company, Ms. A. Hema Jothi, is permitted to continue to represent the applicant company as its authorised signatory in all legal and other proceedings, including, but not limited to, signing vakalat, filing pleadings, tendering evidence, and performing all necessary acts in connection therewith. 27-04-2026 SHR
P.T.ASHA J.
SHR IN CP NO. 172 OF 2012 27-04-2026