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[Cites 11, Cited by 0]

Delhi District Court

Acting Through Its Authorised ... vs Icici Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd on 31 August, 2017

        IN THE COURT OF SH. GURVINDER PAL SINGH:
        ADDITIONAL DISTRICT JUDGE 01 ­ SOUTH EAST
           DISTRICT, SAKET COURTS, NEW DELHI.


CS - 1025/17
Calcom Vision Ltd.
(A company incorporated and 
registered under the provision of 
the  Companies Act, 1956)
Having its Registered Office at : 
C­41, Defence Colony 
New Delhi - 110024.  

Acting through its Authorised Representative 
Sh. Sandeep Pathak 
                                                                       ..........Plaintiff 

        VERSUS 

ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. 
ICICI Bank Towers 
Bandra Kurla Complex 
Bandra East, Mumbai - 400 051. 

Also at : 
ICIC Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. 
NBCC Place, Second Floor 
New Delhi - 110003. 
                                                              ..........Defendants

               Date of Institution                  :         23.02.2005
               Date of Arguments                    :         28.07.2017
               Date of Judgment                     :         31.08.2017 


CS - 1025/17    Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd.   page 1 of 21
                                       JUDGMENT

1.   Plaintiff   filed   the   suit   for   recovery   of   Rs.   28,11,000/­   with pendentelite interest and future interest and cost from defendant.

  

2. Adumbrated in brief the facts of the case of plaintiff are : 

Plaintiff  is  a  limited  /BIFR  company  and  is   registered  under SICA.   Plaintiff runs the business of assembly of TV sets and plastic molding of which ICs are important components.   The plaintiff  company  entered  into  Burglary  Insurance  Policy  no. 4002/0000712 with the defendant insurance company for a total sum of Rs. 7.50 crores from 08.05.2002 to 07.05.2003 to cover its   stock   located   at   its   factory   at   B­16,   Site­C,   Surajpur Industrial Area, Surajpur - 201 306, endorsed on 07.06.2002 on payment of premium of Rs. 22,444/­.  

3. It   is   further   averred   that   he   factory   premises   of   the   plaintiff company  including   its   Strong   Room   were   closed   and   locked with seal on Saturday, the 21st December 2002 in the evening at 5.30 P.M.  On 22.12.2002 it was noticed by the staff members that there was Burglary and the Burglars had stolen the goods by   breaking   the   sealed   lock   of   the   Strong   Room.     This occurrence was reported to Police Station Surajpur   and FIR was   registered.     This   occurrence   was   also   intimated   to   the CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 2 of 21 Defendant, Insurance Company which appointed Cunningham Lindsey International Pvt. Ltd. as Surveyor and the Surveyor carried out the detailed survey and investigation on 23.12.2002.

4. It is further averred that plaintiff company filed its claim for Burglary Insurance on 31.12.2002 quantifying the loss as Rs. 21,41,583/­   alongwith   the   detailed   statement   and   necessary documents,   required   for   settling   the   claim.     However,   the defendant   company   repudiated   the   claim   of   the   plaintiff company by letter dated 15.07.2003 on the pretence that the loss was   caused   due   to  theft   and  the   same  was   registered   by  the police   in   FIR   under   Section   380   of   IPC   and   on   this   basis rejected   the   Insurance   claim   of   the   plaintiff   company.     The Surveyor refused to provide the immediate Loss Advice on the plea   that   it   is   an   internal   communication   with   the   Insurance Company,   which   was   unreasonable   and   unprofessional.     The plaintiff   company   wrote   a   letter   dated   16.08.2003   to   the Insurance Company seeking reconsideration of its decision and to settle the claim, however the defendant Insurance company refused reconsideration vide letter dated 01.09.2003.  

5. It is further averred that plaintiff company suffered a loss on account   of   burglary   at   the   tune   of   Rs.   21,41,583/­   and   the defendant company is liable to pay the same alongwith interest CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 3 of 21 @ 15% from the date of filing the insurance claim till the date of   the   institution   of   the   present   suit   which   amounts   to   Rs. 6,69,417, thus the defendant insurance company is liable to pay an amount of Rs. 28,11,000/­ to the plaintiff company till the date of the institution of the present suit.  

6. Defendant filed written statement denying the averments of the plaint and submitted   that no such burglary had taken place in the said premises of the plaintiff company on the said date as alleged by the plaintiff and that a simple theft had taken place in the said premises of the plaintiff company and accordingly the police   registered   a   criminal   case   under   Section   380/411   IPC under   FIR   No.   265/02   in   respect   to   the   said   incident.     It   is further averred that on receipt of intimation about the loss from the   plaintiff,   the   defendant   deputed   a   Surveyor   Cunningham Lindsey International Pvt. Ltd. to carry the survey and assess the loss.  From the report dated 30.05.2003 of the Surveyor, it was established that it was a case of theft and not burglary and police   also   after   investigation   registered   a   case   of   theft accordingly.   It was further revealed that stolen property was recovered by the Delhi Police from the culprits and after taking possession of the same, a charge­sheet was filed against such culprits.  It   is  submitted  that  plaintiff  is   aware  that  under  the policy, the loss as a result of theft is not covered.  

CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 4 of 21

7. It   is   further   averred   that   the   alleged   certificate   of   C.A. quantifying the loss as Rs. 21,41,583/­  was wrong  and that the plaintiff has procured the said certificate in order to quantify the loss in the absence of any other proof to prove the quantity of the loss in the said incident.  It is submitted that the insurance claim of the company was repudiated on genuine grounds as the cause of loss was not covered under the Policy in question.  It is further submitted that the matter was properly re­examined and since it was a case of theft and not burglary as established from the   record,   the   question   of   re­consideration   of   the   claim otherwise   did   not   arise   and   accordingly   the   plaintiff   was communicated vide letter dated 01.09.2003 by the defendant.  It is further submitted that the plaintiff is not entitled to claim any such amount from the answering defendant.   

8. Plaintiff filed replication in which it reiterated the facts of the plaint and denied the averments of written statement filed by the defendant.

9. From the pleadings of the parties, following issues were framed:

1.  Whether the suit has been signed, verified and instituted by a duly authorised person on behalf of the plaintiff? OPP.
CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 5 of 21
2.   Whether   the   plaintiff   is   entitled   for   recovery   of   Rs. 28,11,000/­ from the defendant? OPP. 
3. Whether the plaintiff is entitled for interest? If so, at what amount, for what period and at what rate? OPP. 
4. Relief. 

10. In evidence, plaintiff examined Sh. S.K. Malik, the Director of the   plaintiff   company   as   PW1   vide   affidavit   Ex.   PA.     PW1 relied   upon   documents   viz.,   (1)   copy   of   Certificate   of Incorporation of the company Ex. PW1/A; (2) true copy of the resolution Ex. PW1/1; (3) copy of Burglary Insurance policy as Ex. PW1/2; (4) Copy of FIR Ex. PW1/3; (5) copy of letter dated 24.12.2002   Ex.   PW1/4;   (6)   Insurance   claim   documents   Ex. PW1/5; (7) details of statement of missing items Ex. PW1/6­A to 6­I; (8) copies of cost sheets of ICs Ex. PW1/7A & 7B; (9) copy of letter of the Surveyor dated 13.03.2003 Ex. PW1/8; (10) copy of reply of the plaintiff dated 25.03.2003 Ex. PW1/9; (11) copy of another Surveyor Letter dated 27.03.2003 Ex. PW1/10; (12)   Copy   of   Charge   sheet   dated   10.01.2003   Ex.   PW1/11 forwarded   alongwith   copy   of   letter   dated   04.04.2003   Ex. PW1/12; (13) copy of final Police report dated 03.04.2003 Ex. PW1/13; (14) copy of Surveyor's letter dated 08.04.2003 Ex. PW1/14; (15) copy of letter dated 14.04.2003 Ex. PW1/15; (16) copy of letter dated 18.05.2003 of plaintiff with copies of visitor CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 6 of 21 register as Ex. PW1/16; (17) copies of the visitors register from period 20.12.2002 to 23.12.2002 Ex. PW1/16 A and PW1/16 B; (18) copy of investigation report of the police Ex. PW1/17, (19) copy   of   letter   dated   10.07.2003   as   Ex.   PW1/18   regarding settlement of claim under Burglary policy; (20) copy of letter dated   15.07.2003   of   defendant/insurer   to   plaintiff   as   Ex. PW1/19;   (21) copy of letter of plaintiff dated 24.07.2003 Ex. PW1/20;   (22)   Final   report   of   Surveyor   Ex.   PW1/21   and receiving given by the defendant as Ex. PW1/21­A; (23) copy of letter dated 06.08.2003  of plaintiff as Ex. PW1/22; (24) copy of letter dated 07.08.2003 of Surveyor as Ex. PW1/23;   (25) reply dated 01.09.2003 of letter dated 16.08.2003 also as Ex. PW1/23;   (26)   positives   of   photographs   as   Ex.   PW1/25   to PW1/31; (27) copy of notice dated 24.10.2009 as Ex. PW1/32. PW1 was cross­examined at length. 

11. Plaintiff   also   got   examined   Sh.   Yogesh   Garg,   Chartered Accountant   as   PW­2   vide   affidavit   Ex.   PW2/A   who   proved certificate Ex. PW2/1 dated 08.02.2005 with regard to the total value   of   items   claimed   to   be   stolen.     PW2   was   also   cross­ examined at length. 

12.  Plaintiff also got examined Sh. Ravinder Gupta as PW­3 vide affidavit Ex. PW3/A. PW3 was also cross­examined.  

CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 7 of 21

13. Defendant got examined Mrs. Pooja Sharma, Manager Legal of defendant  as DW1 vide affidavit Ex. DW1/A.  DW1 also relied upon the report of Surveyor Ex. PW1/21.     DW1 was cross­ examined.   

14.   I   have   heard   arguments   addressed   by   Sh.   H.L.   Narula,   Ld. Counsel   for   plaintiff;  Sh.   Shoumik   Mazumdar,   Ld.   proxy counsel for defendant; gone through the written arguments filed on behalf of both the parties and have given thoughts to the rival contentions   put   forth,   pleadings   of   the   parties,   evidence   and have also examined the record of the case.

15.  Ld.   Counsel   for   the   plaintiff   has   relied   upon   the   following precedents : 

(i) Lucas Indian Services Ltd. Vs. Sanjay Kumar Aggarwal, 173(2010) DLT 438 ;
(ii) Ashok Kumar Garg Vs. Anil Kumar Gupta,  2009 (108) DRJ 360;
(iii) Siddharth Grover Vs. Kusma Devi & Ors., Vs. Dropti Devi & Ors., 197 (2013) DLT 769;  
(iv) M/s. Sudhir Engineering Co. Vs. M/s. Nitco Roadways Ltd., 1995(2) Delhi Lawyer 11;  
(v)   National   Insurance   Co.   Ltd.   Vs.   Public   Type   College, CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 8 of 21 II(2001) CPJ 26 (NC) ;
(vi)   Janki   Vashdeo   Bhojwani   &   Anr.   Vs.   Indusind   Bank Ltd. & Ors., VII (2004) SLT 441 ;
(vii)  Man  Kaur (dead)  by LRs Vs. Hartar Singh Sangha, 2010(10) SCC 512 ; 
(viii) Avtar Singh & Ors. Vs. Gurdial Singh & Ors. ,(I) 2007 SLT 73 ;
(ix) M/s. Rudnap Export­Import Vs. Eastern Associates Co. & Ors., AIR 1984 DELHI 20 and  
(x) PD Dinakaran Vs. Judges Inquiry Committee & Ors., (2011) 8 SCC 380. 

16.  My issue wise findings are as under :

Findings on Issue no.1 
1.  Whether the suit has been signed, verified and instituted by a duly authorised person on behalf of the plaintiff? OPP.

17. Plaint has been signed, verified and instituted by Sh. Sandeep Pathak,   employee   of   plaintiff   company   whose   affidavit   is accompanying the plaint.  Ex. PW1/1 is the certified true copy of the extracts of the resolution contained in the Minutes of the meeting   of   Board   of   Directors   of   plaintiff   company   of   date CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 9 of 21 31.01.2005   whereby   the   said   Sh.   Sandeep   Pathak,   Company Secretary   has   been   authorised   on   behalf   of   the   plaintiff company   to   sign   and   institute   the   suit   against   defendant corporation with respect to the stated burglary claim.   In this fact of the matter, plaintiff company has been able to prove that the suit was signed, verified and instituted by duly authorised person   on   behalf   of   the   plaintiff.     Issue   no.1   is   accordingly decided   in   favour   of   the   plaintiff   and   against   the   defendant accordingly. 

Findings on Issue no. 2 

2.   Whether   the   plaintiff   is   entitled   for   recovery   of   Rs. 28,11,000/­ from the defendant? OPP. 

18.   The plaintiff has filed this suit for recovery of Rs. 28,11,000/­ from defendant Insurance company.   The claim comprises of two components.   Firstly, the claimed actual loss suffered by plaintiff company to the tune of Rs. 21,41,583/­ on account of burglary having taken place at factory premises of plaintiff at Surajpur in the intervening night of 21.12.2002 and 22.12.2002, since the plaintiff company had entered into burglary insurance policy Ex. PW1/2 with defendant for Rs. 7.50 crores for  the period   from   08.05.2002   till   07.05.2003   to   cover   its   stocks located at its factory in Surajpur on payment of premium of Rs.

CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 10 of 21 22,444/­,   also   acknowledged   by   Ex.   PW1/2.     Secondly,   Rs. 6,69,417/­ is claimed as sum of interest @ 15% for period from date of filing of insurance claim till the date of institution of this suit   from   defendant   insurance   company   by   the   plaintiff company.  

19.  In para 3 of reply on merits in Written Statement of defendant insurance company, the insurance policy, sum insured, period of risk   as   well   as   payment   of   requisite   insurance   premium   are admitted facts.   Even in terms of the averment of the Written Statement,   the   incident   of   loss   of   goods   by   the   plaintiff company in the intervening night of 21.12.2002 and 22.12.2002 has been admitted but it has been averred that it was a simple theft   which   had   taken   place   in   the   premises   of   the   plaintiff company but no burglary had taken place.  It is the averment of the insurance company that on receipt of intimation about the loss   from   the   plaintiff,   the   defendant   deputed   a   Surveyor   to carry the survey and assess the loss.   It is the defence of the defendant insurance company that in terms of the survey report dated 30.05.2003 Ex. PW1/21 of the surveyor  it was a case of theft   and   not   burglary   and   police   also   after   investigation registered a case of theft.  It also revealed that articles of stolen property was recovered by the police from the culprits and after taking possession of the same, the charge sheet was filed against CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 11 of 21 such   culprits.     It   is   the   defence   of   the   defendant   insurance company that under the policy Ex. PW1/2, the loss as a result of theft was not covered and the loss as a result of burglary was covered. Accordingly, the laid insurance claim Ex. PW1/5 by plaintiff before defendant insurance company was rejected.  

20.   Adverting   to   final   Surveyor   report   Ex.   PW1/21   dated 30.05.2003, it embodies  inter alia the facts that the incident of loss of goods had taken place at the insured premises of plaintiff company wherein inside the store but outside the strong room, it was noticed that bolt eye of the strong room door was cut from which strong room there had been loss of goods. Police had been informed.  On checking of strong room, some of the racks were   found   empty.   Statement   of   the   Store   Manager   Sh. Ravinder   Gupta   PW3   was   also   recorded   at   the   site.     The observation of the Surveyor had been that the bolt eye of the strong room was found to be cut with a sharp tool whereas at the receipt door of the store, there was no mark of tampering and  even  outside   the  store  in  the  side  courtyard,  the  insured confirmed having located the lock of the strong room in locked condition.     Along   the   rear   side   boundary   wall   outside   the factory at the corner towards the road side, a heap of soil was found. It was assumed by the Surveyor that the miscreants had full knowledge of premises and it appeared that someone had CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 12 of 21 hid himself inside the store at the time of closure the previous evening and had cut the lock of the strong room but how such offender came out from the store, it was not certain.   Empty racks inside the strong room were shown by concerned staff to the Surveyor and the inventory verification was conducted by the Surveyor to find out the extent of loss.  

21.  Ex. PW1/21 contains inter alia the assessment of the Surveyor with respect to the loss of the plaintiff and provides also that as per  the claim  form,  the  details  of  the missing  items were as follows :

          S. No. DESCRIPTION OF                      QTY. PCS. RATE                 AMOUNT
                 ITEM                                          (RS.)                (RS.)
          1.      IC TDA 8362                         1161            231.12        268330
          2.      IC ZILOG                            3000             91.13        273390
          3.      IC STV 2248 C                        503            174.76          87904
          4.      IC FONDA 4                          1350             83.34        112509
          5.      IC TDA 4665                        11073             31.64         350350
          6.      IC OM 8361                          7885            133.05        1049099
                                                                      TOTAL         2141582
          

           Also as per Ex. PW1/21, the items recovered were 269 no. IC's of Type no. 2248C and 35 no. TV kits.  No mention of loss   of   35   no.   TV   kits   was   made   by   the   insured   in   their statement of loss.   The Surveyor had found in the survey that the insured had a balance of only 361 pcs. of item IC TDA 8362 as on 20.12.2002; accordingly the reported loss of 1161 pcs. of CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 13 of 21 said items was not possible.  On the probe of Surveyor, it was clarified   by   the   insured   that   1000   pcs.   were   issued   on 19.12.2002   but   were   not   physically   moved   out   of   the   store; which   submission   was   not   found   to   be   reasonable   by   the Surveyor as the material was neither heavy nor bulky requiring large space for storage in the production hall from where the requirement   was   received   for   consumption.     The   Surveyor assessed the loss as follows after verifying the stock records and after accounting for receipts and issues.

          S. No. DESCRIPTION OF                      QTY. PCS. RATE                   AMOUNT
                 ITEM                                          (RS.)                  (RS.)
          1.      IC STV 2248                                  503          174.76          87904
          2.      IC FONDA 4                                 1350             83.34        112509
          3.      IC TDA 4665                               11073             31.64        350350
          4.      IC OM 8361                                  7885          133.05       1049099
                                                                      TOTAL              1599862
          

22.   In the case of  Sudhir Engineering Company  (supra), it was inter   alia   held   that   endorsement   of   an   exhibit   number   on     a document has no relation with  its proof.  Neither the marking of an exhibit number can be postponed till the document has been held proved; nor the document can be held to have been proved merely because it has been marked as an exhibit.   The marking   of   a   document   as   an   exhibit,   be   it   in   any   manner whatsoever either by use of alphabets or by use of numbers, is CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 14 of 21 only for the purpose of identification.  While reading the record the parties and the Court should be able to know which was the document before the witness when it was deposing.  Absence of putting   an   endorsement   for   the   purpose   of   identification   no sooner   a   document   is   placed   before   a   witness   would   cause serious   confusion   as   one   would   be   left   simply   guessing   or wondering which was the document to which the witness was referring to  while  deposing.   Any  practice  contrary  to above statement   of   law   has   no   sanctity   and  cannot  be   permitted  to prevail.  

23.  True that in the course of plaintiff evidence, neither negatives of  the positives of photographs given  exhibit as Ex. PW1/25 to PW1/31 were produced nor were earlier placed on record.   So these positives of the photographs stand not proved.  Section 58 of   The   Indian   Evidence   Act,   1872   postulates   facts   admitted need not   be  proved.   So was  also  laid  in the case  of  Avtar Singh & Ors. (supra).   Ex. PW1/21, the report of Surveyor is admitted   by   the   defendant   and   witness   of   defendant,   DW1. Incident of loss of movable property of plaintiff is an admitted fact.  Dispute remains only as to whether such loss was covered in the insurance policy or not.  

CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 15 of 21

24.  In the case of National Insurance Company Ltd. Vs. Public Type College (supra), it had been held that in common parlance burglary  is  understood  as  theft.    Therein,  the  machines  were stolen   from   the   premises   of   complainant   by   someone   by opening locks of the door of the shop either by using duplicate keys or by using second set of keys which complainant had lost about a year back.  In said case, the pronouncement in the case of  Dino Services Ltd. Vs. Prudential Assurance Company Limited, (1989) 1 All ER 422 (CA) were relied upon wherein goods were stolen from the premises of the insured by thieves who had stolen the keys of the premises from the insured's car and then entered the premises at night by simply using the keys in the normal way to unlock various doors, without causing any physical   damage   to   the   locks   or   to   the   doors.     The   insurer repudiated the claim on the ground that loss or damage had to occasion from theft involving "forcible and violent" means of entry to the premises.  In the context of the policy of insurance against theft from the premises by forcible and violent means of entry, the Court said that the word 'violent' is to be construed according to ordinary meaning and meant entry by use of any force which was accentuated or accompanied by a physical act which   could   properly   be   described   as   violent   in   nature   and character.     It   was   held   in   the   case   of  National   Insurance Company Ltd. Vs. Public Type  College (supra) that in view CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 16 of 21 of the decision of the case of Dino Services Ltd. (supra), in the fact of the matter of said case, it could be said that entry to the premises   was   forcible   and   thus   covered   under   the   burglary policy   and   the   repudiation   of   the   policy   by   the   insurer   was wrong.  

25.   Ex.   PW1/21   as   elicited   above   inter   alia   embodies   the ascertaining of the fact by Surveyor at site that the bolt eye of the strong room door was cut; though such strong room was situated inside the store.  Fact of the matter is that it is proved on record that since bolt eye of the strong room door was cut, though   situated   inside   the   store,   yet   for   entry   to   said   strong room within the premises insured, the entry had been forcible or violent and in view of the decisions of the cases of  National Insurance Company Ltd. Vs. Public Type College (supra) and Dino services Ltd. (supra), it can be safely said that entry to the part of premises insured was forcible and thus covered under the policy for loss.

26.  The Burglary Insurance Policy Ex. PW1/2 in Part II of schedule inter alia embodies the exclusions including  '3(i)(b)   Loss   or   damage   where   any   inmate   or member   of   the   insured's   household   or   of   his business staff or any other person lawfully in the CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 17 of 21 premises   is   concerned   in   the   actual   theft   or damage to any of the articles or premises or where such loss or such damage has been expedited or any   way   assisted   or   brought   about   by   any   such person or persons 

(c) Theft without actual forcible and violent entry and /or exit from the premises.'   

27. For the defendant to be not liable in respect of the insurance claim of the plaintiff, in terms of the afore elicited exclusion clause, the loss or damage should have taken place whereby any inmate or member of the business staff or other person lawfully in the premises was concerned in the actual theft or damage. From the final report Ex. PW1/13 of the criminal investigating agency, it is not borne out that any such inmate or member of the business staff or any other person(s) lawfully in the premises was/were   concerned   for   such   losses   of   goods   to   plaintiff. Thereby   the   claim   of   insurance   company   for   exclusion   from liability from insurance claim is ill founded, without substance and   stands   not   proved   for   want   of   any   such   fact   proved   on record.   

28.   Original books of  accounts, store registers, invoices, trading and   profit   and   loss   account,   balance   sheets   have   not   been produced in the course of plaintiff evidence.  Originals of copies CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 18 of 21 Ex. PW1/6­A to Ex. PW1/6­I and Ex. PW1/7A and Ex. PW1/7B stand not proved.  The Chartered Accountant PW2 in his cross­ examination elicited that he was not the appointed Chartered Accountant of the plaintiff company and had only inspected the record   of   the   stock   and   account   books   etc.   of   the   plaintiff company but did not carry out the physical inspection of the stock lying in the premises of the plaintiff company; though had issued certificate Ex. PW2/1 on the request of Sh. S.K. Malik, Director of plaintiff company.  

29.   Fact   remains   that   the   Surveyor   report   Ex.   PW1/21   is   an admitted document by the defendant and the Surveyor who gave the   said   report   was   duly   appointed   by   defendant   insurance company.  Even witness of defendant, DW1 namely Ms. Pooja Sharma   had   admitted   the   Surveyor   report   Ex.   PW1/21   with regard to the assessment of the loss.  There is no escape for the defendant insurance company from Ex. PW1/21.  

30. In the fact of the matter, the defendant insurance company is held liable for making payment of the sum of Rs. 15,99,862/­, quantified by their own surveyor, to the plaintiff for the loss of goods   suffered   by   them   for   which     they   had   their   entire premises insured, from wherein the loss occasioned by use of force/forcible entry in the strong room situated inside the store CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 19 of 21 of   plaintiff.     Plaintiff   is   held   entitled   for   recovery   of   Rs. 15,99,862/­ from defendant.  Accordingly, issue no.2 is decided in favour of the plaintiff and against the defendant.  

Findings on Issue no.3

3. Whether the plaintiff is entitled for interest? If so, at what amount, for what period and at what rate? OPP. 

31.   Plaintiff was engaged in business / commercial purposes and the plaintiff company was working for gain.  Plaintiff company had got its premises and stocks duly insured under policy Ex. PW1/2   where   loss   occasioned   to   plaintiff.     Despite   plaintiff being   entitled   for   recovery   of   Rs.   15,99,862/­   from defendant/insurer, the said sum was not paid to the plaintiff. In the fact of the matter, having regard to nature of the commercial transaction   between   the   parties,   the   plaintiffs,   finding   it expedient, in the interest of justice, plaintiff is accordingly held entitled   for   interest   @   12%   per   annum   on   sum   of   Rs. 15,99,862/­  from  the   date   of   filing  of   the  suit   till   realisation from defendant. Issue no.3 is accordingly decided in favour of the plaintiff and against the defendant.

Relief

32. In view of my findings with respect to issues no. 2 and 3, the CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 20 of 21 plaintiff  is  held entitled for  recovery of  Rs. 15,99,862/­ with interest @ 12% from the date of filing of the suit till realisation alongwith proportionate costs from defendant.   Decree sheet be prepared accordingly. File be consigned to record room.

  Announced in the open      (GURVINDER PAL SINGH)    Court  on 31.08.2017.       Additional District Judge 01(SE),                Saket Courts, New Delhi. (sm)   CS - 1025/17 Calcom Vision Ltd. Vs. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. page 21 of 21