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2014 Supreme(Mad) 1339

High Court of Judicature at Madras
SATISH K. AGNIHOTRI & M.M. SUNDRESH, JJ.
V.L. Dhandapani
Versus
Revathy Ramachandran & Others
C.R.P (P.D) Nos. 1337 of 2009 & 1056, 1249 & 2062 of 2011
Decided on : 17-06-2014

Advocates appeared:
For the Appearing Parties:V. Lakshminarayan, R. Munuswamy, Krishnasrinivasan for M/s. S. Sramasubramaniam Associates, Kumar & Baskar, R. Margabandhu, M. Venugopal, Spl.G.P.(CS), M/s. Paul & Paul, T. Sathiamoorthy, S. Mukunth, M/s. Sarvabhauman Associates, G. Paunniyakotti, V. Stalin, Advocates.

The transferee pendente lite can be impleaded as a party to the suit, and the mere pendency of the suit does not prevent the purchaser pendente lite from seeking to implead himself as a party defendant.

Headnote:

Transferee Pendente Lite - Impleadment in Suit - Section 52 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, Order 1 Rule 10 of the Code of Civil Procedure - THOMSON PRESS (INDIA) LIMITED V. NANAK BUILDERS AND INVESTORS PRIVATE LIMITED AND OTHERS (2013) 5 Supreme Court Cases 397

Fact of the Case:

The petitioners, as transferee pendente lite, sought impleadment in suits pending for quite some time. The lower courts dismissed their applications citing Section 52 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882. The issue was referred to the Division Bench, which was no longer required to be answered in view of the decision in THOMSON PRESS (INDIA) LIMITED V. NANAK BUILDERS AND INVESTORS PRIVATE LIMITED AND OTHERS (2013) 5 Supreme Court Cases 397. The revision petitions were allowed, and the connected miscellaneous petitions were closed.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the transferee pendente lite can be impleaded as a party to the suit, and the mere pendency of the suit does not prevent the purchaser pendente lite from seeking to implead himself as a party defendant.

Issues: The main issue was whether the transferee pendente lite is entitled to be impleaded in the suit, which was resolved in favor of the petitioners based on the interpretation of Section 52 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, and Order 1 Rule 10 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

Ratio Decidendi: The court's decision was influenced by the interpretation of Section 52 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, and Order 1 Rule 10 of the Code of Civil Procedure, as well as the precedent set in THOMSON PRESS (INDIA) LIMITED V. NANAK BUILDERS AND INVESTORS PRIVATE LIMITED AND OTHERS (2013) 5 Supreme Court Cases 397.

Final Decision: The revision petitions were allowed, and the connected miscellaneous petitions were closed.

Judgment :

1. Civil Revision Petition in C.R.P(PD) No.1337 of 2009 has been filed against the order dated 19..12.2008 passed in I.A.No.1241 of 2008 in O.S.No.254 of 2002 on the file of District Munsif Court, Chengalpattu.

2. The learned single Judge, in and by the order dated 12.01.2011, was pleased to refer the following issue to be decided by the Larger Bench as in his view, there are conflicting decisions over the same.

"Whether the transferee pendente lite is entitled to be impleaded in the suit"

In view of the said issue having been referred to the Division Bench, as a consequence, C.R.P. (PD) Nos.2062 of 2011, 1056 of 2011 and 1249 of 2011 were also directed to be posted along with C.R.P.(PD) No.1337 of 2009. Accordingly, all the four revisions are before us.

3. The learned counsels appearing for the petitioners have made submissions on merits. In all these revisions, challenge is to the orders passed in the interlocutory applications filed pending suits. The suits are pending for quite some time. Therefore, we do not propose to send back the revisions before the learned single Judge and instead we decide them on merits.

4. BRIEF FACTS:-

A suit was filed by one Gopinathan in O.S.No.254 of 2002 on the file of the District Munsif's Court, Chengalpattu seeking the relief of permanent injunction against the respondents herein.

During the pendency of the suit, the petitioner has purchased a suit property from the plaintiff and based upon the same, an application was filed under Order 1 Rule 10 of the Civil Procedure Code to implead him as the second plaintiff in the suit. In the application filed in I.A.No.1241 of 2008, the petitioner has contended that he is a bonafide purchaser for valuable consideration and after the purchase, he is in possession and enjoyment of the suit property by putting up compound wall and terraced house.

5. The learned District Munsif, Chengalpattu, dismissed the application holding that the application filed cannot be allowed as the remedy open to the petitioner was to file a fresh suit instead of continuing the old one. Challenging the same, the petitioner has come before this Court.

6. CRP.(PD) No.2062 of 2011:- The first respondent herein is the plaintiff in the suit in O.S.No.11 of 2008. The suit was filed for declaration and permanent injunction. It is the case of the first respondent that a sale deed has been falsely created as if it was executed by the father on 16.06.1998 when he died as a matter of fact on 05.05.1972. The respondents as defendants are attempting to dispossess and hence the suit. Pending the suit, an application was filed in I.A.No.54 of 2011 in O.S.No.11 of 2008 by the petitioner herein on the ground that he purchased the suit property from the first defendant on 13.02.2009 by way of a registered sale deed. He was not aware of the pendency of the suit when the sale deed was effected and being the bonafide purchaser for valuable consideration, he is entitled to be impleaded as a party defendant in the suit.

7. The learned District Munsif cum Judicial Magistrate, Uthiramerur dismissed the application on the ground that inasmuch as the sale was made during the pendency of the suit, it is hit by Section 52 of the Transfer of Property Act, the request cannot be considered.

8. C.R.P.(PD) No.1056 of 2011:-The plaintiff filed the suit in O.S.No.13 of 1997, which is renumbered as O.S.No.51 of 1997 on the file of District Munsif, Vellore, seeking the relief of partition and separate possession as well as permanent injunction and for rendition of accounts. I.A.No.5 of 2009 has been filed by the petitioners stating that the second defendant in the suit sold the item 2 of the 'A" Schedule properties to them under the registered sale deed dated 24.12.2008 for good and valid consideration. Though the petitioners are the bona fide purchasers for the value, they do not have any notice of the pendency of the suit filed by the plaintiff and as such, they are entitled to be impleaded as




























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