Sir Lancelot Sanderson. -

This is an appeal by the plaintiff, Krishna Reddi, and a cross-appeal by Gandavaram Raghava Reddi and Kodur Venkataperumal Reddi, defendants 3 and 4, from a judgment and decree dated 19th April 1920, of the High Court of Madras, in Letters Patent Appeal No. 23 of 1918.

The suit was brought as long ago as 1910, and it has had a chequered career. Defendant 1, Varada, was the father of defendant 2, Venkatarama, and the plain tiff is the son of defendant 2, and they are members of a joint undivided Hindu family. Venkatarama, defendant 2, had two wives; by his first wife he had a daughter, and by the second he had an only son, viz., the plaintiff.

It was alleged on behalf of the plain tiff that he and his mother were obliged to leave the home of defendant 2, and to live with the plaintiff' mother' people for some three-and-a-half years before the suit was brought.

Defendants 3, 4 and 5 were alleged to be close friends of defendant 2. By a document dated 22nd January 1910, defendant 1, Varada, purported to sell to defendant 3 properties comprised therein and specified in Sch. A to the plaint. The consideration was alleged to be Rs. 15,000 and the property was alleg