ALLADI KUPPUSWAMI, J.

( 1 ) THE defendant in O. S. No. 61 of 1971, Sub Court, Masulipatnam is the appellant. The respondents filed the suit against the appellant for recovery of a sum of Rs. 10,000/- as general and special damages for malicious arrest, wrongful confinement and false imprisonment on the following allegations. The plaintiffs are ryots of Penumalli village. The defendant s son purushottam is the Sarpanch of the village and the plaintiffs belonged to the opposition party of the Gram Panchayat. The defendant owns a rice mill, named Sri Venkateswara Rice Mill which is installed in a thatched shed. The said mill caught fire and was burnt on the 10th July 1970 at about 1-00 p. m. On 11-7-1970 the defendant brought the Sub-Inspector and two constables and got the plaintiffs and two others arrested and taken handcuffed to Pedana Police Station and confined in the station lock up. The defendant gave a report written by his son alleging that he saw the plaintiff in his mill premises instigating and aiding one Adapa Biksham to set fire to the mill. The plaintiffs were kept in the police station lock up till 12-7-1970. At 4-00 p. m. on that day they were produced before the Judic

Click Here to Read the rest of this document