Dispute between ex-cricketer Dilip Doshi, Mont Blanc reaches Gujarat High Court

AHMEDABAD: Former Indian cricketer-turned -businessman Dilip Doshi and German luxury goods maker Mont Blanc approached the Gujarat High Court recently over disputed partnership ties, which are close to ending after 20 years.

Swiss firm Mont Blanc approached the High Court on November 21 challenging a Rajkot civil court order which had restrained the luxury product makers from proceeding further in a partnership dispute case before a Swiss tribunal as per its business agreement with Doshi's firm Entrack International Trading Pvt Ltd.

Since 1994, Doshi had entered luxury products business by marketing Mont Blanc products through his 17 boutique stores across India, particularly in five-star hotels.

However, on March 21 this year, Mont Blanc ended the ties with Entrack International Trading Pvt Ltd and signed a joint venture with another Indian giant.

Doshi, along with his four family members and his firm, had challenged Mont Blanc's move to change its marketing partner before a Rajkot civil court.

Doshi had accused Mont Blanc of sharing confidential information with its new Indian marketing partner, after which Mont Blanc filed a plea for arbitration proceedings at Geneva's Swiss tribunal, as per rules of International Arbitration of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce as well as a trade agreement between the two parties which had fixed the Swiss tribunal for arbitration to resolve any business dispute.

Mont Blanc had argued before the Rajkot court that the civil suit should not be heard since arbritration proceedings could only be proceeded by the Swiss tribunal and the court did not have jurisdiction to decide the issue.

However, on November 21, the Rajkot court rejected Mont Blanc's plea which led them to challenge the order before the Gujarat High Court.

Doshi had also filed a caveat petition so that any ex-parte order would not be passed by the Gujarat High Court without hearing them.

Justice Harsha Devani of the Gujarat High Court decided today that the matter would be heard before her on December 5.