IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION
R.M.S.KHANDEPARKAR & DR.D.Y.CHANDRACHUD, JJ
Tejbai Tejshi DedhiaAppellants
Versus
Central Bank of India Respondent
APPEAL NO.484 OF 1998 IN SUIT NO.297 OF 1976
Decided on : 10TH AUGUST, 2007
Advocate Appeared
Shri Alok Bagla M/s.Bagla Dandekar & Co. for the Appellants.
Shri Gaurav Joshi and Avinash Joshi Mulla & Mulla & Craigie Blunt and Caroe for the Respondents.
Civil Procedure Code, 1908 - Order XL - Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging Houses Rates Control Act, Sections 13(1)(hh) and 28 - Claim for damages by tenant. - Where landlord given possession of premises to Court Receiver and tenant made no attempt to get possession from Court Receiver therefore no cause of action made out for damages against landlord.
R.M.S.KHANDEPARKAR, J
1. This appeal arises from the judgment dated 10th February, 1998 passed by the learned Single Judge in Suit No.297 of 1976 whereby the suit has been decreed in favour of respondent No.1 against the appellants herein in terms of prayer clauses (a), (b), (b)(ii) and (c) with costs. The judgment also requires the premises in occupation of the Court Receiver to be handed over to the Respondent-Bank in pursuance of a decree. The reliefs granted under the said decree include declaration that the Agreement dated 3rd May, 1973 Exhibit ‘A’ to the plaint to be valid and subsisting, direction to the appellants to hand over possession of the premises mentioned in Clause 6(i) of the said Agreement and to do all such things as may be necessary and to execute all such deeds, writings and papers as may be necessary to effectively carry out the said Agreement and further to pay to the respondent No.1 Rs.2,500/- per month from the date of the suit till possession of the premises is handed over to them and further direction to the respondent Nos.2 and 3 to endeavour to give effect to the said agreement.
2. The appellants are the owners of the plot of land bearing No.118/122, Kazi Syed Street, Mumbai - 400 009. There was a notice issued by the Bombay Municipal Corporation for demolition of the said building on 4th June, 1946. As two of the tenants in occupation of the premises refused to hand over possession thereof, suits came to be filed for their eviction in the Court of Small Causes, Mumbai, under Section 13(1)hhh of the Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control Act, 1947, hereinafter called as "the Rent Act", being R.A.E. Suit No.53/387 of 1964 and R.A.E.Suit No.109/755 of 1964. The matter was contested by the tenants upto the Apex Court without any success. On 3rd May, 1973, an agreement came to be executed between the appellants and respondent No.1 who was one of the tenants whereby respondent No.1 agreed to vacate the premises in its occupation admeasuring 1200 sq. ft. on the 1st floor of the building and to surrender leasehold rights, and as against this, the appellants agreed to allot on rental basis an area admeasuring 1200 sq.ft. carpet area on the ground floor and 1200 sq.ft. carpet area on the mezzanine floor along with amenities of construction of strong room, bathroom and toilets at their cost in the new building to be constructed at the place of the old building. It was also agreed that newly constructed premises shall be handed over to respondent No.1 within a period of 1 and 1/2 years, failing which the appellants shall pay compensation of Rs.2,500/- per month to respondent No.1 to be calculated from the date of expiry of the period of 1 and 1/2 years till respondent No.1 is handed over with the possession of new premises as agreed upon under the agreement. Pursuant to the said agreement, respondent No.1 vacated the old premises and delivered the possession to the appellants and the appellants thereafter demolished the old structure and constructed a new building in its place. On 5th March, 1976, a suit came to be filed by respondent No.1 against the appellants for specific performance of the agreement dated 3rd May, 1973 and for the claim of Rs.2,500/- per month from the date of filing of the suit till delivery of possession of new premises. By the impugned judgment, the suit was accordingly decreed. The impugned judgment has been challenged in the present appeal. Pursuant to the order passed at the time of admission, the appellants had deposited a sum of Rs.6,85,000/- and pursuant to the leave granted by the Court on 5th November, 1998. Respondent No.1 has withdrawn the said amount by furnishing necessary undertaking. Meanwhile, on 9th March, 1976, in terms of the order dated 8th March, 1976 passed in Notice of Motion No.271 of 1976, the appellants handed over vacant possession of the new premises to the Court Receiver and since then the premises are under lock and key with the Court
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