In Brief
The Supreme Court dismissed special leave petitions filed by Messer Holdings Ltd (MHL) and Goyal MG Gases Ltd (GGL) against a High Court order in interconnected disputes over acquisition and ownership of shares in Bombay Oxygen Corporation Limited (BOCL). The Court found that continuation of two suits (SUITS II and III) by the Ruia family against MHL and GGL—after settling with Messer Griesheim GmbH (MGG) and agreeing not to prosecute against it—constituted abuse of judicial process. Since MHL and GGL's claims derived from MGG's title, and RUIAS had relinquished their dispute with MGG, the suits lacked legal cause of action. The Court condemned the 18-year-old protracted litigation involving unscrupulous tactics, suppression of facts, and multiple interlocutory applications without issue-framing, and imposed exemplary costs.",
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