State Bank of India v. Sethi (In Re Sethi)

250 B.R. 831, 2000 Bankr. LEXIS 772, 36 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 126, 2000 WL 1036171
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. New York
DecidedJuly 13, 2000
Docket1-19-40520
StatusPublished
Cited by69 cases

This text of 250 B.R. 831 (State Bank of India v. Sethi (In Re Sethi)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Bank of India v. Sethi (In Re Sethi), 250 B.R. 831, 2000 Bankr. LEXIS 772, 36 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 126, 2000 WL 1036171 (N.Y. 2000).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION

CARLA E. CRAIG, Bankruptcy Judge.

This matter comes before the Court on the motion of plaintiff, State Bank of India, New York Branch (“SBI”) for summary judgment pursuant to Fed. R. Bankr.P. 7056 denying a discharge to defendant, debtor Ramji D. Sethi, under 11 U.S.C. §§ 727(a)(3) and 727(a)(5). For the reasons set forth in this Memorandum Decision, that motion is granted.

Jurisdiction

This Court has jurisdiction of this core proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334(b) and 157(b)(2)(J) and the Eastern District of New York standing order of reference dated August 28, 1986.

Standard for Summary Judgment

Summary judgment is appropriate “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Bankr.P. 7056(c); Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). The Court’s function is not to resolve disputed issues of fact, but only to determine whether there is a genuine issue to be tried. See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 249, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). No genuine issue exists “unless there is sufficient evidence favoring the *835 nonmoving party for a jury to return a verdict for that party. If the evidence is merely colorable, or is not significantly probative, summary judgment may be granted.” Id. at 249-50, 106 S.Ct. 2505. In making this determination, the court is required to view the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. See Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. 144, 157, 90 S.Ct. 1598, 26 L.Ed.2d 142 (1970). When no rational trier of fact could find in favor of the non-moving party because the evidence to support its case is so slight, there is no genuine issue of material fact requiring a trial and a grant of summary judgment is proper. First National Bank of Arizona v. Cities Service Co., 391 U.S. 253, 280, 88 S.Ct. 1575, 1592, 20 L.Ed.2d 569 (1968).

Factual Background

The following is a summary of the relevant facts and of the plaintiffs contentions with regard to the legal consequences of the facts. In this summary, the facts described are not in dispute, except as otherwise indicated.

The debtor filed this voluntary chapter 7 case on November 15, 1998. In the debt- or’s schedules, he lists $350 in total assets and $2,024,884.08 in liabilities. Included in the debtor’s schedule of unsecured claims are 7 claims, totalling $100,370.33, which are identified by the debtor as “consumer debt.” According to the petition, all but $11,000 of this consumer debt was incurred after 1993, and at least $30,000 was incurred in 1996 or later.

SBI is the debtor’s largest creditor. Its claim, which is in excess of $1,890,000, arises from the debtor’s personal guarantee of a loan made by SBI in 1988 to a corporation controlled by the debtor. In connection with the application for that loan, the debtor submitted to SBI a personal financial statement dated November 25, 1986 showing a net worth of $810,-032.00.

In response to discovery requests made pursuant to Fed. R. Bankr.P.2004, the debtor produced copies of his federal tax returns for 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996, and W-2 forms for 1997 and 1998. At his deposition on February 18, 1999, debtor testified that he has no other financial documents or records for the period prior to the commencement of this case. Sethi Dep., p. 9. *

SBI argues that the debtor’s discharge should be denied under 11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(3), on the grounds that the debtor has failed to provide records from which his financial condition or business transactions may be ascertained. SBI also contends that the debtor’s discharge should be denied under 11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(5), on the grounds that the debtor has failed to explain satisfactorily the loss or deficiency of assets to meet his liabilities.

In making these arguments, SBI points to certain assets which the debtor owned at one time, and which are not listed on the debtor’s petition. SBI contends that insufficient documentation has been produced under § 727(a)(3) concerning these assets and their disposition, and further contends that the loss of these assets has not been satisfactorily explained under § 727(a)(5). The following is a list of the assets in question and a summary of any documentation or explanation offered by the debtor with regard to those assets and their disposition.

1. Condominium located at kl-h0 Union Street, Flushing, NY

This asset is listed on the 1986 financial statement provided by the debtor to SBI. The debtor testified at his deposition that this property,, which was rented, was sold to the tenant in 1987, and *836 admits that he has no records of this transfer (Sethi Dep., pp. 65, 68), but states that the purchaser, who “probably” still resides there, and who debtor alleges was an employee of SBI, should have records of the transaction. Sethi Aff., ¶ 6.

2. Two-Family House Located at 85-16 101st Street, Corona, N.Y.

The debtor testified at his deposition that he owned a two-family house at this address, which he acquired in “84 or ‘5, maybe’ ”, and that the house was foreclosed on. Sethi Dep., p. 70. There was no testimony as to the date of the foreclosure, but the debtor testified that the tenants occupying the house “were not paying any rent” and that he stopped paying the mortgage on the house “[l]ate ’87 I think, or ’88.” The foreclosing bank is identified by the debtor only as “some California bank.” Sethi Dep., pp. 70-71. The debtor admits he has no records of this transfer, but states that the records of the foreclosure should be available at the Queens County Clerk’s office. Sethi Aff., ¶ 7.

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250 B.R. 831, 2000 Bankr. LEXIS 772, 36 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 126, 2000 WL 1036171, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-bank-of-india-v-sethi-in-re-sethi-nyeb-2000.