In Brief
The Supreme Court addressed whether an appeal lay to a High Court's Commercial Appellate Division from an order adding a party to an Admiralty suit. The Respondent Bank financed a fuel transaction through Gulf Petroleum FZC, which was later found to involve fraud. The Bank sued as holder of the Bill of Lading for cargo mis-delivery. The trial court ordered Gulf Petroleum added as a necessary party; the Division Bench reversed this. The Court held that orders adding parties under the CPC are not appealable under the Admiralty Act. It reaffirmed that Gulf Petroleum FZC was a proper and necessary party to the suit. The appeals were allowed, and the Division Bench's judgment was set aside.
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