Delhi HC dismisses KAL Airways, Maran's ₹1,300 crore claim against SpiceJet

The Delhi High Court dismissed an appeal seeking over ₹1,300 crore in damages from SpiceJet, filed by KAL Airways and businessman Kalanithi Maran. The ruling, dated May 23, 2025, was disclosed by the budget airline in a regulatory filing on Monday.

The appeal, which had already been rejected by an Arbitral Tribunal and later by a Single-Judge Bench of the High Court, was the latest attempt by Maran and KAL Airways to claim compensation from the low-cost carrier. The arbitration proceedings, led by a panel of three retired Supreme Court judges, had thoroughly examined and rejected the damages claim.

“These claims were thoroughly examined and subsequently rejected by a panel of three retired Supreme Court judges. Following this, KAL Airways and Kalanithi Maran appealed to the Single-Judge Bench of the Delhi High Court, seeking the same amount in damages, which was also rejected by the court,” the airline said.

Kal Airways, Kalanithi Maran vs SpiceJet

The dispute between Maran and SpiceJet dates back to more than a decade. In 2010, Kalanithi Maran and KAL Airways acquired a controlling stake in SpiceJet, increasing their shareholding to 58.46 per cent from 37.7 per cent. However, in February 2015, they transferred their entire stake back to SpiceJet’s original founder, Ajay Singh, as part of a revival deal. Maran and KAL Airways claimed they paid ₹679 crore for warrants and preference shares that were never issued, sparking a legal battle.

An arbitral tribunal initially ruled in their favour, ordering SpiceJet to refund ₹579 crore with interest. But in 2024, both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court overturned the award and sent the case back for reconsideration. In response, Maran and KAL Airways have sought ₹1,323 crore in damages, while SpiceJet has rejected the claims as baseless and previously discredited.

Following the fresh dismissal, SpiceJet shares rose 2.62 per cent to ₹44.98 apiece on BSE at 11.05 am.