Only Final SFIO Report, Not Interim Report, Can Trigger Prosecution Under Companies Act: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court has clarified that the central government cannot initiate prosecution under the Companies Act on the basis of an interim report submitted by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office and must wait for the final investigation report after completion of the probe. Justice Krishna Rao made the observation while allowing a writ petition filed by Sunil Kumar Agarwal and quashing a Look Out Circular issued against him during the pendency of an SFIO investigation, noting that...

Calcutta High Court Removes Rival 'TANA TAN' Trademark, Rules Bikaji Foods Is Prior User

The Calcutta High Court has ordered the removal of the trademark “TANA TAN” from the Trade Marks Register. The Court held that the mark was deceptively identical to the long-standing “TANA TAN” trademark owned by snack food manufacturer Bikaji Foods International Limited. It found that the rival registration, secured in the name of Jagaranath Prasad, had been obtained in bad faith. A Single-Judge Bench of Justice Ravi Krishan Kapur passed the order on January 7, 2026, while allowing a...

Bioreactor Invention Involving Human Embryonic Stem Cells Not Patentable: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court has upheld the Patent Office's refusal to grant a patent to US-based biotechnology company Viacyte Inc., holding that the claimed bioreactor invention was primarily directed at biological material, including human embryonic stem cell-derived aggregates and therefore fell within non-patentable subject matter under the Patents Act, 1970.In a judgment dated January 16, 2026, a Single-Judge Bench of Justice Ravi Krishan Kapur, affirming the decision of the Deputy Controller...

Reference to Arbitration Requires Independent Application, Cannot be Inferred from Plea to Reject Plaint: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court recently rejected a Master's summons application filed by M/s Samman Capital Limited, that sought stay of a commercial suit on the grounds of an existing arbitration clause.Master's summons under the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) refers to a court order (summons) compelling a party to appear, often to provide documents or information relevant to an insolvency proceeding or specific case issues.The Court emphasised that for a dispute to be referred to arbitration, the law...

Cash Not 'Goods' Under GST; Authorities Cannot Seize It Without Evidentiary Link: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court reiterated that cash does not fall within the definition of “goods” under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) law and, therefore, GST authorities have no power to seize cash unless it is directly relevant to proceedings under the Act.A bench comprising Justice Om Narayan Rai referred to Section 2(52) of the CGST Act, which expressly excludes money from the definition of “goods.” The court observed, "A perusal of the said definition clearly reveals that money stands...

GST Notices And Orders Issued Only In Summary Forms Without Details Are Unsustainable: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court has quashed a GST adjudication order passed solely through summary online forms, holding that tax liability cannot be imposed without clearly setting out the allegations and reasons as required under law. A single-judge bench of Justice Om Narayan Rai said the manner in which the proceedings were conducted could not be sustained. “The order that has been passed and communicated to the petitioner has remained in summary form. It is bereft of any detail and sans any...

Arbitration | Mechanical Reliance On No Claim Certificate Is Non-Adjudication: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court has recently held that mechanical reliance on a 'No Claim Certificate,' without examining whether the claims raised were covered by such document, amounts to non-adjudication.A Single Bench of Justice Gaurang Kanth in an order dated January 9 explained that the mechanical reliance on such certificates, without examining the surrounding facts and evidence, amounts to non-adjudication and renders the award vulnerable to challenge. The Court observed:“Even execution of a...

Income Tax Dept Cannot Reopen Assessment on New Grounds Without Due Notice: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court has recently held that the income tax department cannot reopen a completed assessment by raising new issues without first following the mandatory procedure under the Income Tax Act. On this basis, the court set aside the reassessment notice issued against a government-owned company. Under the tax law, Sections 148 and 148A require the department to first issue a detailed notice explaining why it believes income may have escaped tax, give the taxpayer an opportunity to...

Immunity From Penalty Cannot Be Denied Once Conditions Under Income Tax Act Are Met: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court has recently clarified that the income tax department cannot deny immunity from penalty for under-reporting of income once a taxpayer meets the conditions prescribed under the law.A bench of Justice Om Narayan Rai said Section 270AA of the Income Tax Act leaves no discretion with the Assessing Officer. The provision allows immunity where the taxpayer has paid the tax demand, has not filed an appeal, and has applied for immunity within the prescribed time. It also requires...

Calcutta High Court Halts GST Recovery From Trader's Electronic Credit Ledger Pending Rectification Plea

The Calcutta High Court has stepped in to stop GST recovery from a trader's electronic credit ledger, saying the department must first decide a pending rectification plea that could wipe out the entire demand. Justice Om Narayan Rai passed the order on December 22, 2025, while hearing a writ petition filed by Tirupati Traders. In a brief but clear order, the court said that if the rectification application is allowed, “the demand raised by the order in original may not survive,” and...

Bank Can't Freeze Company's Accounts Solely Over ROC's 'Management Dispute' Tag: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court has held that a bank cannot freeze a company's accounts merely on the basis of a “management dispute” marking by the Registrar of Companies (ROC), particularly after such marking has been removed on the directions of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).Justices Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya and Supratim Bhattacharya made the observation on January 5 while hearing appeals filed by Ravindra Pratap Singh, director of August Agents Limited, challenging the freezing of the...

Mere Apprehension of Business Loss In State Does Not Confer Writ Court Territorial Jurisdiction: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court has recently held that a petitioner's mere apprehension of business loss in West Bengal is not enough to invoke the court's territorial jurisdiction in a writ petition. A single-judge bench of Justice Om Narayan Rai, while dismissing a plea filed by a Kuwait company said that it is the infringement of a legal right that gives rise to a cause of action."The lis before this Court is only with regard to the violation of the petitioner's right to fair treatment and fair...