Karnataka High Court
Hindustan Machine Tools Ltd. - Appellant
Versus
Nedungadi Bank Ltd. - Respondent
Decided On : 07-21-94
charge - Hypothecation of Machinery - S. 100 of the Transfer of Property Act - The court discussed the creation of a charge in favor of the plaintiff-Bank through the hypothecation of machinery and the absence of a charge in favor of the defendant-2. The judgment referred to various legal provisions and their interpretations, including the definition of 'charge' under S. 100 of the Transfer of Property Act and the nature of hypothecation as a form of security. The court concluded that the hypothecation in favor of the Bank created a charge in respect of the machineries, while the decree did not create a charge in favor of the defendant-2.
Fact of the Case:
The plaintiff-Bank filed a suit claiming the first charge in machinery hypothecated by the defendant-1. The defendant-2 contested, denying the plaintiff's preferential right and claiming no knowledge of the plaintiff granting credit facilities to defendant-1. The court examined the decree and the deed of hypothecation to determine the creation of a charge in favor of the plaintiff-Bank and defendant-2.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the decree did not create a charge in favor of defendant-2, while the hypothecation in favor of the Bank did create a charge in respect of the machineries. The court held that the Bank had a charge in respect of the properties, and defendant-2 did not have any preferential right over the Bank.
Issues: 1. Whether the decree passed in O. S. No. 6/1972 created a charge relating to suit schedule machineries in favor of defendant-2. 2. Whether the hypothecation in favor of the Bank by defendant-1 would amount to the creation of a charge in respect of the suit machineries.
Ratio Decidendi: The court analyzed the legal provisions related to charge, including S. 100 of the Transfer of Property Act, and the nature of hypothecation as a form of security. It concluded that the hypothecation in favor of the Bank created a charge in respect of the machineries, while the decree did not create a charge in favor of defendant-2.
Final Decision: The appeal was dismissed, and the court made no order as to costs.
( 1 ) THIS appeal is preferred against the judgment and decree dated 27-2-1982 passed by the XII Additional City Civil Judge, Bangalore. By the said judgment, the lower Court decreed the suit of the plaintiff, declaring that the plaintiff-Bank has the first charge in the machinery described in schedule to the plaint. The lower Court further ordered that defendant-2 is entitled to realise the amount due to it by defendant-1 in pursuance of the decree in O. S. No. 6/ 1972 by sale of the said machinery, but subject to the first charge of the plaintiff. Being aggrieved by the same, defendant-2 - Hindustan Machine Tools Limited has preferred this appeal.
( 2 ) THE facts relevant for the disposal of this appeal briefly stated are as under: defendant 2 (appellant) had filed original suit No. 6/ 1972 against Fix Well Industries of which M. V. Vasudeyan (defendant-1 in the present suit) Was the proprietor. The said was filed by the defendant-2 - Hindustan Machine Tools for the recovery of Rs. 85,621-50. The said suit was decreed by the judgment dated 16-11-1972 of the Court of the Civil Judge, Civil Station, Bangalore. By the said judgment, the Civil Judge decreed the suit of the plaintiff. It was further ordered that the defendant will pay the decretal amount in six equal half yearly instalments and if he fails to pay the instalment, the plaintiff would be entitled to recover the entire amount in one lump sum. There was also a direction by the Court that the defendant shall not create charge or transfer the machinery. In furtherance of the said judgment, which is produced at Ex. P1, the decree was drawn up, a copy of which is marked at Ex. D2.
( 3 ) THE said decree was sought to be executed by Hindustan Machine Tools in execution case No. 40/ 1973. In the said execution, the property that is to say, the machineries described in the suit schedule, were attached. Consequent upon such attachment, respondent-1 Bank (Nedungadi Bank - hereinafter referred to as the Bank) filed Miscellaneous Case No. 99/ 1974) under Order 21, Rule 58, CPC praying for raising the attachment on the ground that the property was hypothecated in its favour. However, the said application was dismissed on 7-11-1975. It is under these circumstances, the plaintiff-Bank has filed the present suit praying for the reliefs referred to hereinabove. In substance, the allegation made in the plaint is that the machineries were hypothecated to the Bank by defendant-1 - Vasudevan on 12-5-1973, when he took a loan of Rs. 1,75,000/- from the Bank. The Bank therefore, asserted that it had the first charge in respect of the machinery, which was hypthecated to it. It has also made the other allegations collateral to the same, which are summarised by the Court below in para No. 11 of its judgment.
( 4 ) DEFENDANT 1 - Vasudevan remained ex parte. It was defendant-2 (appellant) who contested the suit. Defendant-2 denied that plaintiff-Bank had any preferential right or charge over the machinery described in the plaint schedule. It took up a contention that defendant-2 is not aware of the plaintiff granting credit facilities to defendant-1 and obtained deed of hypothecation dated 2-5-1973 from defendant-1. It was further contended by defendant-2 that the deed of hypothecation is not registered and that therefore no property could be claimed by it. It was asserted that the legal possession of the suit machinery was with the plaintiff. Defendant 2 also took up a contention that in view of the "undertaking given by defendant-1, in the earlier suit, which was incorporated in the decree, it was not permissible for the bank to advance the amount on the hypthecation of the machineries to defendant-1 - Vasudevan.- Defendant-2 - Hindustan Machine Tools have given the calendar of events in the course of its written statement and asserted that plaintiff cannot be said to have had first charge at all in respect of the machineries in question. It prayed for the dismissal of the su
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