JUDGMENT

B.P. Jeevan Reddy, J.-Leave granted.

2. The respondent-plaintiff and the appellant-defendant were working as Deputy Chief Controller of Explosives and Chief Controller of Explosives respectively in the Department of Explosives, Government of India and were stationed at Nagpur. The respondent instituted a suit, Special Civil Suit No. 996 of 1992, in the court of Civil Judge, Senior Division, Nagpur praying for a decree in a sum of Rupees two lakhs against the defendant "as damages for the harassment meted out to the plaintiff and award costs of the suit with future interest at 10 p.c.p.a. from the date of the suit till realisation". In the plaint, it is alleged that the defendant deliberately and intentionally passed several orders and took several proceedings against the plaintiff, abusing his official position as the administrative superior of the plaintiff. It is submitted that the defendant passed those orders and took those proceedings malafide and actuated by a vindictive attitude with a view to harass the plaintiff. It is also alleged that the defendant tampered the official record to involve the plaintiff in certain irregularities, all with a view to ensure that the p