We are pleased to announce a rare and significant win by Aretha Legal before the Debt Recovery Tribunal-III, Delhi, where the Tribunal permitted cross-examination of the Authorized Officer of ARCIL, an exception to the norm in summary DRT proceedings.

The matter was argued by Ronnie S. Brara , Principal Associate, Aretha Legal , under the guidance of Mrs. Aanchal Tandon , Senior Partner, in OA No. 162/2016, a high-stakes case pending before the specialized tribunal handling ₹100 crore+ disputes across Northern India.

Despite the inherently summary nature of proceedings under Section 19 of the Recovery of Debts and Bankruptcy Act, 1993, the Tribunal acknowledged that multiple contradictory versions of Statements of Account had been filed by ARCIL, undermining the reliability of its own claim.

Recognizing the serious questions around credibility, the Hon’ble Tribunal allowed cross-examination observing that while DRTs follow a summary process, natural justice cannot be compromised.

This rare and impactful order underscores the importance of evidence integrity and reinforces the principle that even statutory tribunals must allow scrutiny where the substratum of a claim is in doubt.