Calcutta, Nov. 26: A division bench of Calcutta High Court comprising Justice S.K. Banerjee and Justice A. Mondal today declined to interfere in matters relating to the Bengal government selling shares in Haldia Petrochemicals and private promoter The Chatterjee Group (TCG) approaching international court on this issue.

The bench has sent the matters for disposal to Justice I.P. Mukerji of the same court.

“The Supreme Court has directed that the issues will be settled before the trial bench (Justice Mukerji). So this bench cannot interfere in the matter,” the division bench observed today.

The matter, pertaining to the ownership of 15.5 crore shares which is stalling the induction of Indian Oil Corporation as the majority promoter of HPL, will be heard by Justice Mukerji tomorrow.

The present legal battle between the Mamata Banerjee government and TCG, owned by HPL’s private promoter Purnendu Chatterjee, had started after the latter proposed to approach the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris for arbitration on HPL’s 15.5 crore shares, which the state wants to sell to IOC and TCG claims as its own.

The state government, the WBIDC and HPL first moved the court of Justice I.P. Mukerji seeking to prevent TCG from going to the ICC in Paris.

On May 16 this year, Justice Mukerji passed an interim order allowing TCG to approach the ICC.

The state, the WBIDC and HPL moved an appeal against Justice Mukerji’s order with a division bench and sought a stay on the order so that they could continue with the share sale.

The division bench, on June 17 this year, issued a stay on the interim order passed by Justice Mukerji and allowed the state to continue with the sale process.

TCG then moved the Supreme Court against the high court order, and the apex court on November 1 observed that the order passed by Justice Mukerji was “just and proper” and sent the matter for final disposal back to him.

Last week, Justice Mukerji passed an order asking the state not to continue with the share sale process till November 27 and fixed the matter for hearing on November 27.

Against this order, the state authorities again moved the division bench saying the Supreme Court had never prevented them from selling shares.

However, the division bench today refused their (the state, the WBIDC and HPL) prayer.