Kolkata: City based adventurer Saloo Choudhury, who created a record by circumnavigating the world by a car, has filed a Rs 166 crore damage suit against the Guinness Book of World Records for its alleged failure to organise a promised world competition in his honour and also to properly acknowledge his achievement.

The suit, filed by Choudhury and his wife Neena who was his navigator in his record- creating effort, has been filed in the Calcutta High Court.

Choudhury, who set his first world record in 1989, claimed a total of Rs 1,66,63,07,750, which include damages, compensation, refund of entry fee as well as unpaid cost and expenses incurred by the plaintiffs.

The main ground for filing the damage suit was the alleged failure of Guinness World Record Limited (GWR) to hold a round the world Millennium Challenge in the year 2000 which had been agreed upon to settle a legal dispute between Choudhury and Guinness World Record in 1998.

According to the petitioner the dispute with GWR dates back to his first world record in 1989 when he achieved the feat in 69 days and which was recognised by the Guinness book by a certificate but was not given proper mention in the book.

When this record was broken by a British Army team in 1990, the Choudhurys made a second attempt and regained the world record in 1991 by completing the circumnavigation of the world in 39 days, 20 hours and 15 minutes passing through six continents.

The petitioner alleged that this feat did not get proper recognition in the Guinness book of world record prompting him to file a Rs 36 crore damage suit in 1993.

The Calcutta High Court passed an interim injunction against GWR restraining it from printing, publishing or distributing its book of world record without including Choudhury's feat, the petition said.

It further states that the Choudhury was then approached by GWR chairman F I Chapman and Managing Director C Irwin who offered to organise Millennium Challenge in the year 2000 for competitors from the world over and also institute Choudhury Trophy for the winner in honour of Saloo and Neena Choudhury.

The competition was to start from London and the minimum distance to be covered was the length of equator - 40,075 kms-while crossing six continents.

The petitioner alleged that on the basis of this promise he agreed to withdraw the case instituted against GWR and also to help them with his technical expertise in organising the event.

The petition states that the representatives of GWR also met top government functionaries including the then Chief Minister of West Bengal Jyoti Basu in connection with this rally, which was to pass through India. Chowdhury's hometown Kolkata was also included in the route.

The Choudhurys also desired to participate in the event and paid $ 11,500 as the first instalment of the entry fee.

The event was, however, never held and the GWR simply informed Choudhury in March 2001 that "for good reasons" they were not in a position to fund the event, the petition alleged.

Choudhury alleged in his petition that apart from being prevented from participating in any international event due to the Millennium Challenge, its cancellation has also resulted in enormous loss of face, goodwill and reputation.

PTI