A former company president who was awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages after claiming wrongful dismissal had his credibility questioned in court yesterday.

Nitin Aggarwal received $800,000 last year after a judge ruled he was unfairly fired from his position at mutual fund firm the Leeds Company in 2002.

At an Appeals Court hearing yesterday, Jai Pachai, representing the Leeds Company, argued Puisne Judge Geoffrey Ball had been wrong to declare there was nothing to suggest Mr. Aggarwal was of a dishonest nature.

Mr. Pachai pointed to evidence of an inquiry into tax assessment which he claimed showed unreported remuneration by Mr. Aggarwal.

“The non payment or non reporting of tax is a serious matter,” said Mr. Pachai.

Earlier in the two and a half-day hearing, Mr. Pachai argued the president had been rightfully dismissed because he had not filed payroll tax returns for his employees for three years. The lawyer also raised questions about the firm’s failure to submit tax statements or pay credit cards while Mr. Aggarwal was president.

He said Mr. Aggarwal would indirectly benefit from this via a profit-sharing scheme. Mr. Aggarwal started the company in 1993 and was made president after it was acquired by the Dundee Group in 1998. The hearing, before Appeals Court President Justice Edward Zacca, is expected to conclude today.