Bombay High Court rejects interim relief to Sholay Director Ramesh Sippy in property dispute

The Bombay High Court on April 12 rejected interim plea by filmmaker Ramesh Sippy seeking appointment of court receiver in a dispute arising over inheritance of property [Ramesh Sippy v. Sunhil Sippy & Ors.].Sippy filed an interim plea for the appointment of a court receiver to take possession of the flat and 27 cinematograph films which he claimed fell intestate after his father and mother passed away.He claimed that the production company, Sippy Films Pvt Ltd, and its directors were illegally enjoying the assets of the deceased..Single-judge Justice Manish Pitale found no material by Sippy to substantiate the apprehensions raised by him about the defendants disposing of the flat.The Court also found that the legal heirs of Sippy’s siblings along with the company had been asserting rights on the 27 films for a considerable time.“Apart from this, the stand taken (by Sippy) in the present suit, appears to be different from the assertions made in the earlier proceedings initiated by Sippy. Therefore, he has failed to make out a prima facie case in his favour,” the Court held..Sippy’s interim plea came in a suit seeking declaration of share in the estate of his deceased parents amongst the surviving legal heirs. He claimed that amongst all children, only he survived. He filed the present suit in 2023 stating that the properties of his parents were required to be distributed between him and the legal heirs of his siblings.Sippy demanded a one-fifth share of the estate of the deceased parents.This share included a flat in south Mumbai, 500 shares of the Sippy Films Pvt Ltd. and rights of 27 cinematograph films produced by the company..Advocate Shanay Shah briefed by Bachubhai Munim & Co. appeared for Sippy.Advocates Archit Jayakar, Pooja Yadav and Parita Mashruwala briefed by Jayakar & Partners appeared for the Sippy Films company and directors.[Read order]