Andhra Pradesh High Court
Judges : K.RAMASWAMY
Alla Venkatassamy - Appellant
Versus
Alla Bull Raju (died) - Respondent
Decided On : 04-28-89
ORDER 21 RULE 32 CPC - EXECUTION OF DECREE OF INJUNCTION - ATTACHMENT OF PROPERTY - SALE OF ATTACHED PROPERTY - LIMITATION - RES JUDICATA - JURISDICTION OF COURT - POWER TO AWARD DAMAGES.
Fact of the Case:
Petitioners, judgment debtors, disobeyed an injunction order issued against them in a suit for declaration of title and perpetual injunction. The decree-holder filed an execution petition under Order 21 Rule 32 CPC for attachment of the properties and imprisonment of the petitioners. The executing court held that the petitioners had committed acts in violation of the injunction and directed attachment of the property. The decree-holder also filed another execution petition for sale of the attached property and to award damages. The executing court dismissed the petition initially, but on appeal, this court allowed the petition and held that the property is liable to sale. The executing court then directed the petitioners to pay a sum of Rs. 2,000/- towards damages and on failure thereof, further steps for sale of the property could be made as per law.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the petitioners had an opportunity to obey the injunction but wilfully failed to do so, and therefore, the property was liable to attachment and sale. The court also held that the application for sale of the attached property was not barred by limitation as the petitioners had already been found to have disobeyed the injunction. The court further held that the executing court had no independent power to give direction to pay certain specified damages without conducting auction and sale of the attached properties.
Issues: 1. Whether the petitioners had an opportunity to obey the injunction and wilfully failed to do so? 2. Whether the application for sale of the attached property was barred by limitation? 3. Whether the executing court had the power to award damages without conducting auction and sale of the attached properties?
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The court held that the petitioners had an opportunity to obey the injunction but wilfully failed to do so, as they had already been found to have disobeyed the injunction in an earlier proceeding. 2. The court held that the application for sale of the attached property was not barred by limitation as the petitioners had already been found to have disobeyed the injunction. 3. The court held that the executing court had no independent power to give direction to pay certain specified damages without conducting auction and sale of the attached properties.
Final Decision: The court dismissed the appeal and directed the executing court to proceed with the execution by sale of the attached property and pay Rs. 3,000/- out of the sale proceeds as asked for in the execution petition.
( 1 ) PETITIONERS are the judgment debtors. One Alla Appayyamma preecessor-in-interest of the respondents laid the suit O S 308/72 on the file of the court of the 7th Addl. Munsif Magistrate, visakshapatnam for declaration of title and perpetual injunction, Initially the trial Court dismissed the suit. On appeal in A S No. 101/75 the District Court by decree and judgment dated July 8, 1977 decreed the suit declaring Appayyamma as owner of the property and issued permanent injunction restraining the defendants from interfering with her possession. She laid E P. 30/78 under Order 21 rule 32 cpc for attachment of the properties and for imprisonment of the petitioners on the ground that since they had to obey the injunction but yet with impunity they obstructed her getting the lands ploughed and thereby the petitioners have disobeyed the order of injunction. The executing court after recording evidence and consideration thereof order dated October 9, 1980 held that it is no longer open to the petitioners to contend that Appayamma is not entitled to the scheduled-mentioned properties and that they are in possession and enjoyment. It is also held that the petitioners have committed acts in voilation of the injunction issued against them. In view of the fact that the parties are closely related instead of sending the petitioners to civil prison directed attachment of the property under Order 21, Rule 32 CPC. Pending that E P she also filed another E P 404/81 for sale of the attached property in E P 30/78 and to award damages to the decree-holders. That E P was dismissed initially by the Executing court by order dt. January 22, 1983, Against that, C R P 1025/84 was filed in this court. By order dated July, 21, 1986, this court allowed the C R P and held that the E P. is not barred by limitation the property is liable to sale and accordingly remitted the matter to dispose it of in accordance with law. After remittance again the matter was considered and by the impugned order dated Febuary 9, 1989, the learned District Munsif directed the petitioners to pay a sum of Rs. 2. 000/- towards damages and on failure thereof, further steps for sale of the property could be made as per law - under Order 21 Rules 64 and 66 CPC Assailing the correctness thereof; the CRP has been filed.
( 2 ) THE contention of Srinivasarao, learned counsel for the petitioners is that the judgment of my learned brother radhakrishnarao J, in CRP No. 1025/84 is in the teeth of Order 21 Rule 32 (3 ). Therefore it is open to the petitioners to canvass the correctness in this revision. I find that the argument is without any substance. Once the order of this Court in crp 1025/84 has become final the sale of attached property could be made even after the expiry of three months from the date of attachment and the bar of limitation applies for sale within that time. Having allowed the order to become final, by operation of Section 11 CPC it operates as res judicata between the same parties and it does not lie in the mouth of the petitioners to raise the self same contentions in this revision.
( 3 ) ORDER 21 Rule 32 CPC provides procedure for execution of the decree of injunction. It postulates that where the party against whom decree for injunction. . . . . . . has been passed has had an opportunity of obeying the decree and has wilfully faiied to obey it the decree may be enforced for the injunction by his detention in the civil prison or by attachment of his property or by both. Under sub-rule (3) thereof where any attachment under sub-rule (1) has remained in force for six months (brought by CPC Amendment Act 1976 with effect from Febuary 1, 1977) if the Judgment-debtor has not obeyed the decree and the decree-holder has applied to have the attached property sold such property may be sold; and out of the proceeds the Court may award to the decreeholder such compensation as it thinks fit and shall pay the balance if any to the judgment-debtor on his appli
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