IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA
Amarendra Nath Sen and Sambhu Charan Ghosh, JJ.
Sm. Manada Sundari Saha & Ors. - Petitioners
Versus
Mercantile Bank Ltd. & Anr. – Respondents
Suit no. 758 of 1978
Decided on : March 28, 1979
TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT - SECTION 68 - MORTGAGE - SUIT FOR RECOVERY OF MORTGAGE MONEY - STAY OF SUIT - DISCRETION OF COURT - EXERCISE OF DISCRETION - FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF CASE.
Fact of the Case:
The Bank filed a suit against the appellants for recovery of the mortgage money under section 68 of the Transfer of Property Act on the basis of the personal covenant of the appellant to repay the same. The appellants applied for stay of the suit under section 68(2) of the Act. The trial court dismissed the application holding that the suit was not for recovery of mortgage money and that the discretion conferred on the Court under section 68 of the Act should not be exercised in favour of staying the suit.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the suit was not for recovery of mortgage money as the Bank had instituted the suit for recovery of the amount advanced in the overdraft account, realisation of its securities mentioned in the deeds of hypothecation for enforcement of the guarantee given by the appellants and for due preservation of the Banks securities against unlawful and improper interference with the same by the defendant No.5.
Issues: Whether the suit was for recovery of mortgage money.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the suit was not for recovery of mortgage money as the Bank had instituted the suit for recovery of the amount advanced in the overdraft account, realisation of its securities mentioned in the deeds of hypothecation for enforcement of the guarantee given by the appellants and for due preservation of the Banks securities against unlawful and improper interference with the same by the defendant No.5.
Final Decision: The court dismissed the appeal and upheld the order of the trial court refusing to stay the suit.
Sen, J. :
The appellants who are defendants in the suit filed by Mercantile Bank Ltd. against them along with Anand Iron and Steel Company, the other defendant being defendant No.5 in the suit, made an application under section 68(2) of the Transfer Property Act (hereinafter referred to as the Act) for stay of this suit. The said application came up for final disposal before Mrs. Padma Khastgir, J. The learned Judge for reasons recorded in the judgment delivered on 26.2.1979 dismissed the said application of the appellants. Aggrieved by the judgment and order of the learned Judge the appellants have preferred this appeal. Mercantile Bank Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as the Bank) and Anand Iron and Steel Co. (hereinafter referred to as the firm) are the respondents in the appeal.
2. After having preferred this appeal the appellants made an application for stay of the operation of the order passed by the learned Judge and also for stay of the suit and continuance or commencement of all proceedings thereunder including an application made by the Bank on the 23rd of October, 1978, now pending before the trial Court. At the time of the hearing of the application, the court felt that in the facts and circumstances of this case it would be convenient to dispose of the appeal itself along with the application in the larger interest of justice. The learned counsel for the parties were of the same opinion. For shortening the proceeding and for avoiding multiplicity of proceedings the court gave appropriate directions for the hearing of the appeal along with the application. This judgment disposes of the appeal and also the application.
3. The facts of the case have been fully set out in the judgment of the learned trial Judge. The facts material for the purpose of this appeal may, however, be briefly indicated. The appellant No.1 Manada Sundari Saha carried on and still carries on business inter alia as manufacturer of plywood machinery under the name and style of B. S. Engineering Corporation and the said appellant maintained account or accounts with the Bank. The said appellants had approached the Bank for over draft facilities and the Bank had agreed to allow overdraft facilities to the said appellant against hypothecation of all present and future stocks of finished and semifinished dryers, embossing machines, plywood machines, industrial machines and any other machines, work in progress and all other stores and raw materials, movable plants and machinery held by the said appellant and also alt present and future book debts, outstanding bills and money receivable by the said appellant together with the benefits of all rights thereto by way of first charges and security for payment to the Bank to demand of the balance and all other monies at any time owing to the Bank. A deed of hypothecation containing or evidencing the terms and conditions on the basis of which the Bank had agreed to allow the overdraft facilities was duly executed by the said appellant No.1. Manada Sundari Saha. The Limit of the overdraft facilities allowed by the Bank to the said appellant was initially Rs. 3,00,000/-. The said limit however, by agreement between the appellant Manada Sundari Saha and the Bank, was raised from time to time. It appears that the said limit was ultimately raised on the 8th of June 1977 to Rs. 20,00,000/-. It also appears that the said appellant had executed various documents including a number of deeds of hypothecation from time to time and also promissory note. The appellants Nos. 2, 3 and 4 are alleged to have guaranteed repayment of the sums due and payable by the appellant No. 1 in the overdraft account. The appellant No.1, it has been alleged in the plaint, has acknowledged the indetedness in the said account and the liability to pay the same from time to time. In paragraph 23 of the plaint it has been alleged that the plaintiff Bank has some other claims in respect of two other accounts against 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th ap
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