A. RAMAN, J.

The plaintiff, who lost the case before the lower appellate court, is the appellant. The suit was filed by the plaintiff to recover a sum of Rs. 27, 769.18. The suit was resisted by the defendant and the trial court, namely, the 11th Assistant Judge, City Civil Court, Madras, after trial, decreed the suit with costs as prayed for. Aggrieved by the same, the defendant preferred an appeal to the First Additional Judge, City Civil Court, Madras. The First Additional Judge, City Civil Court, Madras, by his judgment dated September 14, 1983, allowed the appeal and dismissed the suit and hence this second appeal.

It is not necessary for the purpose of the case to set out elaborately the facts of this case. It is admitted case of the parties that the defendant was the authorised appraiser of the plaintiff-bank. During the year 1976, one Mohanlal approached the plaintiff-bank for a loan pledging certain jewels with a view to obtain credit facilities. He pledged jewels on May 6, 1976, July 13, 1976, and July 20, 1976. On those three occasions, it was the defendant who as the appraiser was called by the plaintiff-bank to appraise the jewels and accordingly, the defenda