The dispute began in 2014 when the society stopped issuing maintenance bills to Dr. Arjun Kumar, a surgical oncologist and medical educator, despite his repeated attempts to settle the arrears. By April 2015 the unpaid amount had climbed to ₹1.42 lakh, and the society demanded the sum with 18% simple interest.
On 16 August 2020 the managing committee voted unanimously to issue a notice, and a formal legal notice followed on 16 January 2021. The society argued that under Section 154B1(11) of the MCS Act a person can be treated as a defaulter even before recovery proceedings, citing the outstanding balance.
Dr. Kumar contended that he had never received any bills or notices since 2014, and that the society had either withheld or rejected the cheques he submitted. He also warned that a public defaulter label would damage his professional reputation and patient trust.
On 11 September 2026 the Maharashtra State Co‑Operative Appellate Court issued an interim judgment. Examining a letter from the Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies dated 14 September 2020, the court found prima facie evidence that the society had failed to provide bills and that the dispute was still pending.
The court therefore granted the doctor protection from being declared a defaulter until the trial, which is scheduled for a later date, resolves the ₹1.42 lakh claim.
The interim order comes as Dr. Kumar, who also serves as an examiner for medical colleges, reassures his patients that his standing remains intact amid the dispute.