Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) Pte. Ltd & Anor v Suji Mannattu Thampi & 5 Ors
Key facts
| Court | High Court (General Division) |
|---|---|
| Decided | |
| Judge | Andre Maniam |
| Charges / claim | Contempt of Court |
| Counsel | Chevalier Law LLC, Omni Law LLC, Lim Jun Hao Alvin, Lim Si Cheng, Oommen Mathew, See Wern Hao |
Source: [2024] SGHC 148, High Court (General Division), decided — eLitigation. Updated .
Catchwords
Practice Areas
Judges (1)
Counsel (6)
Parties (8)
Case Significance
Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) Pte Ltd and another v Suji Mannattu Thampi and others [2024] SGHC 148 was decided in the General Division of the High Court by Andre Maniam J on 26 June 2024, in Suit No 903 of 2020 (Summons 3724 of 2023), with judgment reserved after hearings on 12 and 26 March 2024. The plaintiffs were Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) Pte Ltd and Dowser Group Pte Ltd, and the defendants included Suji Mannattu Thampi, Sheravathy Suji Thampi, Samir Vinodray Makwana, Thiyagarajan Athmanathan, Sevnic Pte Ltd (formerly known as Digital Vyuh Pte Ltd) and Intellidocx Asia Pte Ltd. The judgment concerned the consequences of disobeying a discharge order that had discharged an earlier search order, which required the plaintiffs to irretrievably delete data obtained by the search; instead, the plaintiffs retained some of that data and used it in the suit.
The court recorded that the plaintiffs obtained a search order on 25 September 2020, which was varied on 7 October 2020, and the search was carried out with the assistance of forensic investigators from FTI Consulting (Singapore) Pte Ltd. On 3 December 2020, the search order was discharged because of material non-disclosure, with the judge holding that the non-disclosure was of such great importance that the entire search order was tainted and should be discharged. The catchwords identify the issues as civil contempt of court and sentencing. Counsel included Chevalier Law LLC for the plaintiffs and Omni Law LLC for the first defendant.
Summary
Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) Pte Ltd and Dowser Group Pte Ltd, plaintiffs in an earlier suit, faced contempt proceedings concerning their disobedience of a discharge order that had required them to irretrievably delete data obtained under a search order; instead they retained some of that data and used it in the suit. The matter concerned civil contempt of court and the appropriate sentence. The High Court imposed fines of $20,000 each on DLT and Dowser, to be paid within 14 days, and ordered the contempt respondents to pay the first defendant's costs.
What was the contempt issue in DLT Pte Ltd v Suji Mannattu Thampi [2024] SGHC 148?
Decided 26 June 2024 by Andre Maniam J, the judgment concerned the consequences of disobeying a discharge order. That order required the plaintiffs to irretrievably delete data obtained under a search order, but they instead retained some of the data and used it in the suit.
Why was the search order discharged in DLT Pte Ltd v Suji Mannattu Thampi [2024] SGHC 148?
The plaintiffs obtained a search order on 25 September 2020, carried out with forensic investigators from FTI Consulting (Singapore). On 3 December 2020 it was discharged for material non-disclosure, the judge holding the non-disclosure so important that the entire search order was tainted.
Cases Cited (6)
Related cases
Other Singapore judgments involving the same parties or counsel.
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Judgment
Read the full judgment on the official Singapore Courts portal.
Read on eLitigationSource: eLitigation ([2024] SGHC 148)