MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Thursday permitted Lilavati Hospital trustee Rajesh Mehta, who is facing recovery proceedings by HDFC Bank over an alleged debt of over ₹67 crore, to travel abroad for 120 days after directing him to deposit an additional amount of ₹7.5 crore as security before undertaking the travel.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and Justice Shyam C Chandak observed that Mehta “has sufficient deep roots, purpose and work in India”, for which he would require to come back to the country, after noting no serious apprehension demonstrated by the bank against his travel plans.
Mehta is one of the recovery certificate debtors in a recovery proceeding pending before the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT), where HDFC Bank is seeking to recover ₹147.45 crore with interest from Mehta and others. In the petition before the Bombay High Court, Mehta challenged the DRT and Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal (DRAT) orders passed in February and April 2025 respectively, which refused to halt the recovery proceedings against him.
Citing personal reasons, including spending time with his mother and grandchildren and professional commitments related with the proposed expansion of Lilavati hospital and other facilities, senior advocate Aspi Chinoy and advocate John Joel Carlos, sought permission for Mehta to travel abroad for one year. He also expressed his willingness to deposit ₹7.5 crores in the court to secure the permission.
The bank, on the other hand, contended that huge arrears of loan amount along with interest is recoverable from Mehta and opposed his petition saying that the reasons to travel abroad are not justifiable and substantiated with specific particulars.
The court, however, noted that Mehta had earlier been permitted to travel abroad and had complied with conditions imposed. However, it pointed out that today, the recovery amount with interest against Mehta has reached about ₹67 crores plus. If he is now unconnected with the Trust and the hospital, as submitted by the Bank, it cannot be said with conviction that he would return to India, the court said.
“Equities will have to be balanced by directing him to deposit an amount”, the court said, while directing Mehta to deposit ₹7.5 crore as security before travelling abroad and furnish details of his itinerary and contact details before it.
