Man must return $700k Benz to father-in-law

A man has lost a lawsuit with his father-in-law over ownership of a $700,000 Mercedes Benz car, which he claimed was a gift before his marriage fell apart. 

Delivering a judgement at the end of a brief trial on Tuesday, High Court Judge Ricky Rahim upheld Ranjan Seegobin Singh’s lawsuit against his former son-in-law Kevin Bissoondath. 

In his lawsuit, filed in 2020, Singh, of Penal Rock Road, Penal, claimed that he purchased and imported the Mercedes Benz C350 in 2018. 

He claimed that it was registered in Bissoondath’s name because his company, Pipe and Welding Inspection Consultants Services Limited, could not import more than one foreign used vehicle at the time and had already imported one that year. 

Singh said he was forced to threaten legal action and file the lawsuit after Bissoondath allegedly removed the vehicle from his company’s compound when his (Bissoondath) relationship with Singh’s daughter broke down in late 2019. 

Bissoondath denied the claim, as he alleged that the car was a gift and he did not have to return it. 

After Singh filed the lawsuit, Justice Rahim granted an interim order compelling Bissoondath to return the vehicle pending the outcome of the case. 

In determining the lawsuit, Justice Rahim ruled that Singh was the beneficial owner of the vehicle and that Bissoondath was holding it in trust for him. 

Justice Rahim ordered that Bissoondath take steps to transfer the legal title to the vehicle to Singh within two weeks. 

Bissoondath was also restrained from entering Singh’s compound and further interfering with the vehicle. 

Singh and his company were represented by Martin George, while Ayodele Ejenny represented Bissoondath.

By: Derek Achong