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2012 Supreme(Mad) 3983

High Court of Judicature at Madras
T.RAJA
S.R.Selvaraj & Others
Versus
Krishna Rathi Ammal & Others
Second Appeal No.1458 of 2007 and CRP NPD No.3952 of 2008 and MP Nos.1 of 2007, 1 to 3 of 2008 & 1 of 2011
Decided On : 01-10-2012

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellants:K.M.Vijayan, Sr. Counsel for Ms.R.T.Shyamala, Advocates.
For the Respondents:R1 & R2, T.Dhanasekaran,R3, R7, D.Sadhasivan, Advocates.

The suit for permanent injunction alone cannot be legally maintained when the title is disputed.

Headnote:

Injunction - Property Dispute - [S. No.84/1-A, Door No.3/545, East Coast Road (ECR), Neelankarai, Tambaram Taluk, Chengalpattu District] - [Section 10 of CPC, ANATHULA SUDHAKAR V. P.BUCHI REDDY (2008 (4) SCC 594)] - The courts held that the suit for permanent injunction alone filed by the plaintiff cannot be legally maintained when the title is disputed. The plaintiffs failed to prove payment of consideration and possession of the suit property. The courts also found that the suit property was correlated to Paimash Nos.166/A, 167, 168A and 171A, and the plaintiffs were termed as 'strangers' to the suit property. The courts rejected the plea of res judicata as the suit filed by the defendants was withdrawn without a full contest, and the suit filed by the plaintiffs was fully contested. The Civil Revision Petition seeking to receive additional documents was rejected as the documents were available with the plaintiffs and were not produced despite repeated notices.

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiffs claimed to have purchased the property and sought permanent injunction against the defendants from interfering with their possession. The defendants disputed the title and possession of the plaintiffs over the suit property.

Finding of the Court:

The courts found that the plaintiffs failed to prove payment of consideration and possession of the suit property, and the suit for permanent injunction alone cannot be legally maintained when the title is disputed. The courts also rejected the plea of res judicata as the suit filed by the defendants was withdrawn without a full contest, and the suit filed by the plaintiffs was fully contested. The Civil Revision Petition seeking to receive additional documents was rejected as the documents were available with the plaintiffs and were not produced despite repeated notices.

Issues: The main issues were the disputed title and possession of the plaintiffs over the suit property, the maintainability of the suit for permanent injunction, and the plea of res judicata.

Ratio Decidendi: The suit for permanent injunction alone cannot be legally maintained when the title is disputed. The plea of res judicata was rejected as the suit filed by the defendants was withdrawn without a full contest, and the suit filed by the plaintiffs was fully contested.

Final Decision: The Second Appeal and the Civil Revision Petition were dismissed as devoid of any merit.

Judgment :-

The present Second Appeal and the Civil Revision Petition were directed to be listed before this Court as 'specially ordered cases' along with Writ Petition No.26002 of 2001 filed by respondents-3 to 7 in the Second Appeal as against the impugned order dated 15.12.2001 passed by the R.D.O., Chengalpattu. During the pendency of the said Writ Petition, it seems that R3 to R7 in the Second Appeal/petitioners in the W.P. filed Revision before the authority concerned. Therefore, for proper disposal of the pending revision petition, the Writ Petition is ordered to be de-linked and consequently, the interconnected Second Appeal and the CRP are taken up for joint hearing and now, disposed of by this Common Judgment.

2. The unsuccessful plaintiffs before both the courts below have brought this Second Appeal, challenging the Judgment and decree, dated 06.03.2007, passed by the V Additional Judge, City Civil Court, Chennai, in A.S. No.707 of 2006 on 06.03.2007, in and by which, the judgment and decree, dated 21.07.2006, passed by the VII Assistant Judge, City Civil Court, Chennai, refusing to grant an order of permanent injunction in favour of the plaintiffs/appellants herein, restraining the defendants and their men and agents from in any way interfering with the plaintiffs' peaceful possession and enjoyment of the suit property situated at No.145, New No.134, Neelankarai Village, Saidapet Taluk, bearing survey No.84/1A measuring an extent of 1 acre and 50 cents, came to confirmed.

3. Brief facts which ultimately led to the filing of the present Second Appeal are given as under:-

i) The plaintiffs, in their plaint filed before the trial court, claimed that they purchased the property in Survey No.84/1-A, Door No.3/545, East Coast Road (ECR), Neelankarai, to an extent of 1.50 acres in Tambaram Taluk, Chengalpattu District, from defendants-1 and 2 under registered sale deed dated 15.09.2000 and subsequently, they were also put into possession thereof. Further, temporary shed was put up therein and also, a Watchman was posted to look after the property and to safeguard their interests. The plaintiffs came to understand that their vendors/defendants-1 and 2, joining hands with defendants-3 to 7, were trying to dispossess the plaintiffs for the reasons best known to them based on some subsequent alleged agreements, and reacting to such act, a police complaint was lodged with C-9 Police Station, ECR, Neelankarai, Chennai-41, against the defendants, but, the police were reluctant to take any action to stop the illegal attempts by the defendants. Therefore, ultimately, they were constrained to file the suit for permanent injunction restraining the defendants from interfering with their peaceful possession and enjoyment of the suit property described in the plaint schedule.

ii) A brief written statement was filed by defendants-1 and 2 by stating that the suit is not maintainable both on law and facts. It was further stated that the first defendant is a joint owner along with the 2nd defendant by virtue of a deed of compromise. While so, the first defendant sold and handed over possession of the suit property on the date of execution of the sale deed dated 15.09.2000. According to them, when the 1st defendant was made as a vendor and the 2nd defendant as a confirming party in the sale deed in favour of the plaintiffs, the allegation made cannot be sustained and hence, the suit is liable to be dismissed.

iii) A detailed written statement was filed by the Power Agent-one A.R.Suresh on behalf of defendants-3 to 7. It is stated that the suit is not maintainable since the plaintiffs base their claim through a fabricated and unregistered document alleged to have been executed during the pendency of a litigation. The property situated at Door No.3/545, ECR, Neelankarai village, forms part of larger extent of land in S.No.84 and in paimash Nos.166, 167, 168/A and 170/A of a total extent of 20 acres and 85 cents, originally belonged to one Bom









































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