Bank of Baroda to move HC to bar BR Shetty from selling assets

The Bank of Baroda is planning to urge Karnataka High Court to prohibit sale of assets, even those not pledged to the bank, by billionaire businessman BR Shetty.

The public-sector bank had earlier got a partial relief from a sessions court in Bengaluru, which restrained Shetty and his wife from selling or transferring only the 16 properties used as collateral for loans of ₹1,912 crore from Bank of Baroda.

According to a source, the bank has moved court only as a proactive step, to ensure that its right to recovery is protected, in case the borrower defaults later.

Bank of Baroda’s moves come at a time when bad loans in India are expected to see a significant surge, due to the Covid-19-led lockdown and the subsequent slow-down in economic activities of borrowers.