J U D G E M E N T:- The suit was laid by the plaintiff against the first defendant for a sum of Rs.19,02,299.39 together with interest at the rate of 24% per annum from the date of the plaint till the date of realisation with cost.

2. The plaint averments are as follows:

The plaintiff was appointed as Clearing and Forwarding agent on behalf of several importers. The first defendant was a steamer agent and collects the storage charges and also security deposits from the plaintiff to the second defendant. The second defendant was Chennai Port Trust and the cargo which arrived in the containers were stored in the premises and levies storage charges for storing the container in its premises.

3. The Plaintiff utilised two types of containers viz.20' and 40' of the first defendant for its importers. The plaintiff paid the container storage charges to the first defendant as per the scale of rates fixed by the second respondent by its order dated 6.5.1994 and published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette dated 6.7.1994. The payments were made on various dates from 20.5.1994 to 24.3.1996 by the plaintiff to the first defendant. The first defendant has also issued receipts for the same.

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