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2016 Supreme(Mad) 24

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADRAS
S. Nagamuthu, J.
Damodhara Reddy and Others – Appellants
Vs.
Bakkiaraj and Others – Respondents
Second Appeal No. 1092 of 2015 and M.P. No. 1 of 2015
Decided On : 4-1-2016

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For Appellant: B. Gandhi.
For Respondent: A. Palaniappan.

Headnote:

Civil Suit – Suit for permanent injunction – Possession – Dismissal of Suit - Second Appeal - Suit property was originally owned by one Babu Naidu Babu Naidu had mortgaged suit property by means of an unregistered Mortgage Deed - From date of said mortgage, plaintiff’s mother in possession and enjoyment of suit property - Plaintiffs mother executed a Settlement Deed in favour of plaintiffs thereby settling suit property in their favour - Thus, plaintiffs had been in possession and enjoyment of suit property. According to plaintiffs, defendants have got no right whatsoever over suit property - But, they tried to disturb possession of plaintiffs - Whether lower appellate court was right in holding that House Tax Receipts relate to suit property - Whether lower appellate court was right in holding that plaintiffs were in possession of suit property as on date of filing of suit - Held, It is always open to them to work out their remedies to establish right they have claimed to recover possession from plaintiffs - In this Second Appeal, decree of lower appellate court deserves to be confirmed only on factual finding that plaintiffs have been in possession and enjoyment of suit property - Whether plaintiffs have been kept in lawful possession and whether defendants have got any right to recover same from them are all legal issues involved in this matter - It is for the parties to work out same in manner known to law - Second Appeal dismissed.

JUDGMENT :

S. Nagamuthu, J.

1. The defendants in O.S. No. 581 of 2004 on the file of the learned District Munsif, Tiruvallur are the appellants. The plaintiffs in the suit are the respondents herein. The said suit was filed for permanent injunction to restrain the defendants from in any manner interfering with the peaceful possession and enjoyment of the plaintiffs in the suit property. The trial court, by decree and judgment dated 27.02.2013 dismissed the suit. As against the same, the plaintiffs filed an appeal in A.S. No. 14 of 2013 before the learned Subordinate Judge, Tiruvallur. By decree and judgment dated 11.02.2015, the lower appellate court allowed the appeal, set aside the decree and judgment of the trial court and decreed the suit as prayed for. As against the same, the defendants are before this Court with this Second Appeal.

2. This Second Appeal has come up before me today for admission. I have heard the learned Counsel for the appellants and the learned Counsel for the respondents. I have also perused the records carefully.

3. The case of the plaintiffs in brief is as follows:

"The suit property was originally owned by one Babu Naidu. Babu Naidu had mortgaged the suit property by means of an unregistered Mortgage Deed dated 18.10.1968. From the date of the said mortgage, the plaintiffs mother Kamalammal was in possession and enjoyment of the suit property. Kamalammal executed a Settlement Deed dated 15.12.2003 in favour of the plaintiffs thereby settling the suit property in their favour. Thus, the plaintiffs had been in possession and enjoyment of the suit property. According to the plaintiffs, the defendants have got no right whatsoever over the suit property. But, they tried to disturb the possession of the plaintiffs. Therefore, the present suit was filed for permanent injunction."

4. In the written statement, the defendants contended that it is not true that the suit property was originally owned by Kamalammal. It is further stated that the Settlement Deed dated 15.12.2003 is a fabricated document and it would not convey any title to the plaintiffs, since the settler, namely, Kamalammal herself had no title to convey. It is further contended that the suit property was not in the possession and enjoyment of the plaintiffs. But after filing of the suit and after having obtained an interim injunction against the defendants, the plaintiffs trespassed into the suit property and put up a small hut and dispossessed the defendants. It is also the case of the defendants that the suit property was originally owned by Babu Naidu @ Sugunandra Babu Naidu, S/o. Narayanasamy Naidu. The 1st defendant and Babu Naidu were close friends. On account of the said friendship, Babu Naidu had authorised the 1st defendant to manage the suit property. Babu Naidu went on a pilgrimage in the year 1974 after entrusting the suit property to the 1st defendant. Thus, from the year 1974 onwards, the 1st defendant has been in possession and enjoyment of the suit property. Babu Naidu, who went on pilgrimage, had not turned at all. Thus, the 1st defendant was all along in the possession and enjoyment of the suit property and after filing of the suit as stated above, the plaintiffs trespassed into the suit property. Thus, according to the defendants, the plaintiffs are not entitled for any decree as prayed for.

5. Based on the above pleadings, the trial court framed appropriate issues. In order to prove the case, on the side of the plaintiffs, 3 witnesses were examined and as many as 21 documents have been marked. The Settlement Deed dated 15.12.2003 executed by Kamalammal has been marked as Ex. A.1. Ex. A.2 to Ex. A4 are the House Tax Receipts for the hut situated on the suit property for the years 2002-2003. Ex. A.14 to Ex. A.18 are also the House Tax Receipts for the hut situated on the suit property for the years 2005 to 2009. On the side of the defendants, 3 witnesses were examined and one document, namely, Encumbrance Certificate dated 26.07.2















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