Deccan Chargers dispute British court award to former CEO

Indian Premier League franchisee Deccan Chargers has contended that a British court's award of over pounds 10 million to its former CEO Tim Wright would be non-est in the eyes of Indian courts or justice.

Reacting to the award by Royal Courts of Justice in London, on a suit filed by Wright alleging breach of contract, Deccan Chargers counsel Ravi Singhania said that the judgment of English courts would be non-est here as it is based on the view that Wright would not get justice before Indian courts or justice would be seriously delayed.

Thus, the counsel contended that the British courts assumed jurisdiction themselves.

"Indian Civil Procedure court provides that as foreign judgement would be inconclusive if the foreign court founded its opinion on an incorrect view of international law or a refusal to recognise the law of India. If that be the case, in every matter, English courts would have jurisdiction, on the ground that a plaintiff would not get justice or justice would be seriously delayed," he said.

Wright had joined the Deccan Chargers management after the first season of the IPL but was dismissed in January 2009. He began legal proceedings against its parent company, Deccan Chronicle Holdings, in February 2009.

During the hearing, Wright argued that the franchise had breached his contract, which contained a severance clause of 10 million pounds.

Deccan Charges had challenged the jurisdiction of the English courts, but the court decided in Wright's favour.

In his ruling delivered on Tuesday, Judge Seymour ordered Deccan Chargers and Deccan Chronicle Holdings to pay Wright 10,533,478 pounds due under his contract.

The judge also ordered Chargers and Deccan Chronicle Holdings to pay Wright's legal costs on an indemnity basis.