A Dubai court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by two Arab nationals who claimed that a Dh2.2 million promissory note had been forged, ruling that the case lacked both legal merit and sufficient seriousness.
The claimants alleged that the value of the promissory note was unlawfully inflated from Dh200,000 to Dh2.2 million by adding extra zeros using ink that differed from the rest of the document. They asked the court to compel the opposing parties to produce the original note and submit it for forensic examination by Dubai Police.
However, the Dubai Court of First Instance ruled the case inadmissible, noting that the forgery claim was raised improperly and without legal interest. The court explained that allegations of forgery must be presented as a defense in the main case where the document is being relied upon, not through a separate original lawsuit.
Court records showed that the dispute stemmed from debt rescheduling agreements signed in 2016 and 2018 related to the construction of residential units. Under those agreements, debts exceeding Dh11.4 million were restructured and payable through 24 cheques. When disagreements later arose, an accounting expert was appointed, during which the claimants said they first encountered a photocopy of the disputed promissory note.
The defendants countered that they only possessed a carbon copy of the note and that the original document was in the claimants’ possession. The court also pointed out that the claimants had already acknowledged the authenticity of the signature on the note, which legally implies acceptance of its contents unless clear evidence of alteration is presented.
After reviewing the evidence, the court said it was not convinced that any tampering had occurred, especially since the defendants did not hold the original document. It concluded that the forgery challenge lacked seriousness and dismissed the case, ordering the claimants to shoulder court fees and expenses.
