FIGHT FOR BENZ

A Penal businessman who recently bought his son-in-law a Mercedes Benz, valued at $.7 million, out of love and affection, is threatening a lawsuit for return of the luxury sedan because the husband is now divorcing the businessman’s daughter. The legal battle for the Benz, a C-350, is expected to engage the attention of the High Court if the son-in-law does not return the car in the next 14 days.

Rajan Seegobin Singh, 63, of Penal Rock Road, sent his son-in-law, Kevin Bissoondath, of Pluck Road, Woodland, a pre-action protocol letter threatening to sue him in the High Court.

Bissoondath is an engineer while Singh is managing director of Pipe and Welding Inspection Consultants Services Ltd of Penal Rock Road.

Singh contends, in a letter dated February 4 which his attorney sent to Bissoondath, that he bought the C-350 Benz for $700,000 for Bissoondath in 2018. However, Singh said that some time in July last year, relations between Bissoondath and his daughter broke down.

The couple were married about three years ago and have two young children.

On Singh’s behalf, attorney Stephen Boodram said, “Due to the unhappy differences between yourself and your wife who is my client’s daughter, on or about July 2019, you (Bissoondath) took the said Mercedes Benz valued $700,000 from my client’s premises without his consent and left. Since then you have refused, failed and neglected to return the said Mercedes Benz to my client despite repeated requests to do so.”

Singh is giving Bissoondath an opportunity to return the Benz or respond to his letter within the next 14 days. Bissoondath did so last week Friday, replying through attorney Abayomi Ajene. In his response, Bissoondath admitted that until July last year, he lived with his wife and family in a house owned by his father-in-law.

He said that in October 2017, he got into an accident and his car was a write-off. Replying to Boodram’s letter on Bissoondath’s behalf, attorney Ajene said, “In about October 2017, your client offered to purchase a new vehicle for mine as a gift. My client accepted the said gift and arranged for purchase and importation of the said vehicle for which your client (Singh) paid.”

The Benz arrived in 2018 and in March that year, Bissoondath registered it in his name. Since then, Bissoondath said in his reply to his father-in-law, the car has been in his exclusive possession and only he uses it.

On her client’s behalf, Ajene wrote, “Regrettably, it appears that my client’s decision to petition the court to dissolve the marriage to your client’s daughter has motivated your client to rescind his gift of the said motor vehicle.”

However, Ajene continued, by virtue of a gift from a father-in-law to a son-in-law, there is no cause of action and Bissoondath is entitled to keep the Benz.