2025:KER:30644 W.P.(C)No.10247 of 2025 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE C.S.DIAS TUESDAY, THE 8TH DAY OF APRIL 2025 / 18TH CHAITHRA, 1947 WP(C) NO. 10247 OF 2025 PETITIONERS: 1 SAGEER RASHID K.A AGED 26 YEARS S/O ABDUL SALAM K.A, KIZHAKKEVEETTIL, EDAVANAKKAD, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682502 2 RAKESH RAJENDRAN AGED 50 YEARS S/O.LATE N. RAJENDRAN, RESIDING AT FLAT NO. D 704, TEERTH TOWERS, D WING, NEAR VIBGYOR SCHOOL, BANER-SUS ROAD, PASHAM, PUNE, PIN - 411021 3 KOVILAKATH VENUGOPAL AGED 71 YEARS S/O PALLATH NARAYANAMEDN, SREEPADAM, 50/628, MAGAYIL LANE, PETTAH, POONITHURA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682038 4 PRADEEP KUMAR SRINIVASAN KOSSERY AGED 70 YEARS S/O SRINIVASAN KOSSERY, 7E, CLEARWAY FLATS, KUMARAN ASAN ROAD, KUMARAN ASAN NAGAR, KADAVANTHRA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682020 5 JOHN PARAYIL JOSEPH AGED 70 YEARS S/O PARAYIL JOSEPH JOHN,TC 31/1051-1, PARAVIL, PADMAVILASOM LANE, MANNAMMOOLA ROAD PEROORKADA, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695005 6 SASI S C AGED 66 YEARS 2025:KER:30644 W.P.(C)No.10247 of 2025 2 SASI S C, S/O CHITHAMBARAN, 50/52B (JCRA 199) SRAMBIKAL HOUSE, JAWAN CROSS ROAD, PONEKKARA, EDAPALLY, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682041 7 LAKSHMI NARAYANAN AGED 58 YEARS D/O SVARAMAKRISHNAN, SREE KRISHNA VIHAR, AZAD JUNCTION, TRIPUNITHURA EROOR SOUTH, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682306 8 ARUN MAGANLAL JOSHI AGED 62 YEARS S/O MAGANLAL JOSHI, 5/699, C-7 GUJARATHI ROAD, MATTANCHERRY, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682002 9 P T GEORGE KUTTY AGED 74 YEARS S/O PULIKKAPLAVILAYIL GEEVARGHESE THOMAS, PULIKKAPLAVILAYIL, SRA 71, LIBRARY ROAD, NALANCHIRA KURISADI, THIRUVANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695015 10 GABRIEL ANAND PAUL AGED 50 YEARS S/O VAZHAPPILLIL PATHROSE POULOSE, VAZHAPPILIL PALLIPPURAM VILLAGE, CHERAI, PARAVUR, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 683514 11 B SOMASEKHARA WARRIER AGED 75 YEARS S/O BALAKRISHNA WARRIER KRISHNA WARRIER, AGED 75, 4B1, ARTECH ROHINI,THOPPUMUKKU, VATTIYOORKAVU PO, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695013 12 VIJAYAGOPAL N AGED 63 YEARS S/O NEELAKANTA PILLAI, SUKRUTHAM, POONITHURA KOTTARAM ROAD, POONITHURA S O ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682038 13 CHACKOCHAN M AGED 77 YEARS S/O MATHEW, THENGUMVILA HOUSE NO 11, NPP NAGAR, 2025:KER:30644 W.P.(C)No.10247 of 2025 3 FIRST LANE, PERURKADA PO, THIRUVANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695005 14 ALICE RAJAN AGED 77 YEARS ALICE RAJAN D/O ISSAC, JAIRAMPUR, GHOSIA, AURAI, SANT RAVIDAS NAGAR, UTTAR PRADEESH, PIN - 221301 15 GEORGE ABRAHAM AGED 46 YEARS S/O K I ABRAHAM, KOORAN PULIYAPPILLY THURAVOOR, ALUVA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 683572 16 JAINAMMA SABU AGED 79 YEARS D/O CHERIAN CHOORAPAIKATHAKADIYEL VARKEY, PLATHOTTAM, KURUVAMOOZHY, KOOVAPALLY PO, KOTTAYAM, PIN - 686518 17 K J ALEX AGED 79 YEARS S/O KONNOTH CHANDI JOSEPH, DOOR NO A3, VESTA ENCLAVE, ST. BENADICT ROAD, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682018 18 DARREL GONSALVEZ AGED 69 YEARS S/O JOSEPH GONSALVEZ , TOWNSEND AVE. GLADSTONE PARK, VICTORIA -3043, AUSTRALIA, REPRESENTED BY POA JOSEPH CHIRSTOPHAR HURTIS,4/1014, ABBAS HOUSE, THOPPIL ROAD, NEAR POPULAR CANDLE INDUSTRIES EDAPALLY, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682024 19 MURALI MANOHAR G G AGED 54 YEARS S/O GOKULAN, GOKULALAYAM, 261/111 KUMBALAM, PANANGAD, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682506 20 SONY JOY AGED 48 YEARS S/O JOY MENACHERY, MENACHERY HOUSE, NEAR NARAKKAL POLICE STATION, NJARACKAL ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682505 2025:KER:30644 W.P.(C)No.10247 of 2025 4 21 BHADRA NARENDRA SHAH AGED 67 YEARS D/O FULCHAND SHAMJI, 5 /699 B-1 LAKSHMI APARTMENT GUJARATHI ROAD, MATTANCHERRY, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682002 22 SHANAWAZ KE AGED 64 YEARS S/O EBRAHIM KE, 33/432 THE NEST GREEN GARDENS KALLIKKAD PIRIYARI, TIRUNILAYI, PALAKKAD, PIN - 678004 23 P N NARAYANAN AGED 64 YEARS S/O PUTHUCODE KRISHNAIYER NARAYANASWAMY, SREE KRISHNA VIHAR, AZAD JUNCTION, TRIPUNITHURA EROOR SOUTH, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682306 24 VINAYA JAMES AGED 41 YEARS D/O JAMES PEREPARAMBIL JOSEPH, PEREPARAMBIL HOUSE KODUVAZHANGA, ALANGAD, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 683511 25 PUSHPA JAMES AGED 69 YEARS D/O PAILI THOMAS, PEREPARAMBIL HOUSE KODUVAZHANGA, ALANGAD, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 683511 26 VALSAMMA AGED 64 YEARS D/O MATHAI, CHENNELIL BETHEL HOUSE, POLICODU, VAYAKKAL, VALAKAM, VAYAKKAI, KOLLAM –, PIN - 691532 27 SANTHOSH KUMAR AGED 54 YEARS S/O GOPALAKRISHNA KURUP, SANTHOSH VIHAR, ANAYADI PO, SOORANADU NORTH, KOLLAM –, PIN - 690522 28 PHILIP ABRAHAM AGED 58 YEARS S/O T V ABRAHAM, THEKKINETHU HOUSE, KONNI PO, MANGARAM, KONNI, PATHANAMTHITTA –, PIN - 689691 2025:KER:30644 W.P.(C)No.10247 of 2025 5 29 FOUSIYA PA AGED 53 YEARS D/O ABDUL KHADER, BUSHLA MANZIL, MUNDERI PO, MUNDERI, EACHUR, KANNUR –, PIN - 670591 30 MATHEW KA AGED 62 YEARS S/O ABRAHAM KAKKANATT , KAANTE HOUSE, THERMALA, VELLAD POST, ALAKODE, KANNUR –, PIN - 670571 31 GOPI KRISHNAN G AGED 69 YEARS GOPI KRISHNAN G S/O ANNAMALAI GANAPATHY NADAR, 38/2766 A1 SAKTHI HOUSE, KATHRIKKADAVU F M ROAD, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682017 32 PRAKASH N S AGED 53 YEARS S/O N V SADANADAN,, NINDASTHALATH, KUZHUPPILLY, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682501 33 DISHA ANKIT SHAH AGED 63 YEARS D/O NARENDRA A SHAH, B/109, OM RINKOO CHS, SAWARKAR ROAD, DOMBIVALI EAST, KALYAN, THANE –, PIN - 421201 34 RAJESH RAJENDRAN AGED 54 YEARS S/O N RAJENDRAN, 10/876, DEEPA MANDIR, DARSHANA LANE, KARUVELIPADY, THOPPUMPADY, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682005 35 T K MOHAMED ANSAR AGED 66 YEARS S/O KADER KUTTY, 4/834, ZERIN MUNDOCK, NEAR MUNDOCK TEMPLE, MAHE PUDUCHERRY PIN, PIN - 673310 36 ANISH ARAVIND AGED 53 YEARS S/O ARAVINDAKSHAN KUNJIRAMAN, SP 10/377-5, 2025:KER:30644 W.P.(C)No.10247 of 2025 6 SOUPARNIKA THEVANKOTTUKONAM, NEAR SOUTH INDIAN BANK, AIYROORPARA, IROOPARA, THIRUVANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695584 37 ANJU B SHAH AGED 63 YEARS D/O BAKUL VASANTLAL SHAH, 6/2136 SAGAR HOUSE, GUJRATHI ROAD, MATTENCHERRY, ERNAKULAM –, PIN - 682002 38 SREELEKHA L B AGED 54 YEARS GOKULAYAM, D/O BALAKRISHNAN, 261/111, KUMBALAM, PANANGAD, ERNAKULAM –, PIN - 682506 39 THANKACHAN M J AGED 68 YEARS S/O JOHN MATHAI MUTTANOLIL , MUTTANOLIL, THIRUMARADY PO, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 686662 40 SADANANDA MOHAN KUMAR KAMATH AGED 66 YEARS SADANANDA MOHAN KUMAR KAMATH S/O SADANANDA KAMATH, GANGOTHRI MUPPATHADAM, SANTHI NAGAR, KADUNGALLOOR, MUPPATHADAM, ERNAKULAM –, PIN - 683110 41 CHIRAYATH JOSEPH VINCENT AGED 73 YEARS S/O CHIRAYATH PAULOSE JOSEPH, CHIRAYATH CHELIPARAMBIL, POTTA, THRISSUR, PIN - 680722 42 PREMA KISHORE AGED 66 YEARS D/O RAMAN D202, MANTRI SERENITY DODDAKALLASANDRA, BENGALURU REPRESENTED BY POA HARI SANKAR M, S/O MANI MANU BHAVAN, KALAPURAKAL ROAD, NEAR HARITHA NAGAR CUSAT PO, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682022 43 KISHORE SUBRAMANYAM IYER AGED 73 YEARS S/O THEKEMADOM VENKATACHALAM SUBRAMANYAM, T C - 1-191, KALYAN EXTENSION, PUSHPAGIRI, PUNKUNNAM, 2025:KER:30644 W.P.(C)No.10247 of 2025 7 THRISSUR REPRESENTED BY POA HARI SANKAR M, S/O MANI, MANU BHAVAN, KALAPURAKAL ROAD, NEAR HARITHA NAGAR CUSAT PO, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682022 44 GEORGE ITTAN MARAMKANDATHIL AGED 65 YEARS S/O M M GEROGE, MULAPPURAM, THODUPUZHA IDUKKI, PIN - 685581 45 ROSHAN GEORGE AGED 58 YEARS D/O JACOB VARGHESE, 35/1943-G 13, VILLA NO.7, SKYLINE ELYSIUM GARDENS, STADIUM LINK ROAD, KALOOR, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682017 46 JOSHY THOMAS AGED 59 YEARS S/O THOMAS, NJAVALLY KOONTHANATHU HOUSE, KARIMKUNNAM PO, THODUPUZHA, IDUKKI, PIN - 685586 47 BINDU THOMAS AGED 52 YEARS D/O THOMAS, KUNNATHKUZHI ROSE GARDENCE KALLEKKULANGARA PO, AKATHETHARA (PART) KALLEKULANGARA, PALAKKAD, PIN - 678009 48 V A VICTORIA AGED 62 YEARS D/O MARCELLIN AUGUSTINE, 16/761, VAVAKKATT HOUSE, INDIRA JUNCTION, THOPPUMPADY, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682005 49 DEEPA PAUL AGED 47 YEARS D/O PAUL, 36/2297 MUKKADAYIL AZAD ROAD, KALOOR, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682017 50 SRI. SHIJU S K AGED 52 YEARS S/O SEBASTAIN, SASTHAMKUNNEL, UDUMBANNOOR THODUPUZHA, PIN - 685595 2025:KER:30644 W.P.(C)No.10247 of 2025 8 51 V V VANAJAMMA AGED 77 YEARS D/O VENKITTAREMANAN , 55/41A ANJANEYAM PARAMBITHARA ROAD, NEAR SOUTH OVER BRIDGE, PANAMPILLY NAGAR, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682036 52 THOMAS MATHEW AGED 68 YEARS S/O MATHEW, KOKKAYIL P G HOUSE MARKET ROAD, ADOOR, PATHANAMTHITTA, PIN - 691523 53 BEENA AUSTIN AGED 67 YEARS D/O JOSEPH JOSEPH ABEN, VILLA NO 7, SYNTHITE GINGER COUNTY PUTHENCRUZ, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682308 BY ADVS. R.PADMARAJ JOMY GEORGE SAJEEVAN V.T. DEEPAK MOHAN R.AJITH KUMAR [V.K.EDOM] ARJUN S. PRAKASH ANAND SASIDHARAN SREEDEVI V.S. RESPONDENT: INVESTOR EDUCATION AND PROTECTION FUND AUTHORITY (IEPF) MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS, GROUND FLOOR, JEEVAN VIHAR BUILDING, 3 SANSAD MARG, NEW DELHI , REPRESENTED BY ITS CHAIRPERSON., PIN - 110001 BY ADVS. C.DINESH P.R.AJITH KUMAR 2025:KER:30644 W.P.(C)No.10247 of 2025 9 DSGI SRI C DINESH THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 08.04.2025, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: 2025:KER:30644 W.P.(C)No.10247 of 2025 10 C.S.DIAS,J -------------------------------------------- W.P.(C).No. 10247 of 2025 --------------------------------------------- Dated this the 8th day of April, 2025 JUDGMENT The writ petition is filed to direct the competent authority of the respondent to take a decision on the applications submitted by the petitioners, expeditiously. 2. The petitioners are the claimants before the respondent. The shares and unclaimed dividends of the petitioners in various listed companies were transferred to the Investor Education and Protection Fund ( ‘IEPF’, in short) as per Section 124 (5) & (6) of the Companies Act, 2013, as they remained unclaimed in the unpaid dividend account of the respective companies for a period of seven years. Proviso to Sub-section (6) of Section 124 provides that any 2025:KER:30644 W.P.(C)No.10247 of 2025 11 shares transferred as above, the claimants would be entitled to claim the transfer of amount from IEPF to their accounts. As per Rule 7(3) of the IEPF Rules, the company shall, within thirty days from the date of receipt of claim, send an offline verification report to the Authority after verifying the details in Form No.IEPF-5. As per Rule 7(4), the Authority on receipt of the verification report from the respective companies shall order the refund of the amounts claimed, by crediting the amounts to the DEMAT accounts of the claimants. Rule 7(6) mandates that the Authority shall dispose off the refund claims within sixty days. As per Exts.P1 and P2 status reports published in the website of the Ministry of the Corporate Affairs, it is seen that the status of Form IEPF filed by the claimants is neither approved nor under the status of under process. The applications 2025:KER:30644 W.P.(C)No.10247 of 2025 12 are pending for nearly two years now. There is inaction on the part the respondent. Hence, the writ petition. 3. Heard; the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned Senior Panel Counsel appearing for the respondent. 4. On a consideration of the facts and the materials on record, especially Exts.P1 and P2 status reports which show that the petitioners’ applications are pending consideration before the respondent for nearly two years and the time period stipulated under Rule 7(6) of the Rules, without expressing anything on the merits of the applications, I am of the view that the respondent is to be directed to consider the petitioners’ claim petitions, expeditiously. In the aforesaid circumstances, I dispose of the writ petition, by directing the competent authority of the respondent to consider and dispose off the claim petitions filed by the petitioners, in accordance with 2025:KER:30644 W.P.(C)No.10247 of 2025 13 law and as expeditiously as possible, at any rate, within 90 days from the date of receipt of a copy of the judgment. The writ petition is ordered accordingly. Sd/- C.S.DIAS, JUDGE SCB.08.04.25. 2025:KER:30644 W.P.(C)No.10247 of 2025 14 APPENDIX OF WP(C) 10247/2025 PETITIONER EXHIBITS Exhibit P1 TRUE COPY OF THE STATUS REPORT DOWNLOADED FROM THE MCA WEBSITE WITH REGARD TO THE PETITIONERS WHICH ARE IN ‘APPROVED’ STATUS Exhibit P2 TRUE COPY OF THE STATUS REPORT OF CLAIMS WHICH ARE IN ‘UNDER PROCESS’ STATUS Exhibit P3 TRUE COPY OF ONLINE VERIFICATION REPORT OF IEPF FORM-5 BY THE NODAL OFFICER OF THE COMPANY WITH REGARD TO 16TH PETITIONER