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2019 Supreme(Mad) 38

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
ABDUL QUDDHOSE, J.
R.Gopalakrishnan and Ors - Appellant
Versus
K.Mani - Respondent
C.R.P. (PD) No.570 of 2013 and M.P.No.1 of 2013
Decided on : 23-01-2019

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Petitioners: Mr.C.Deivasigamani
For the Respondent: Mr.C.R.Prasanan

Headnote:

Constitution of India - Article 227 - Property - Will – Suit For Partition - Case of petitioners in plaint filed is that they are sons and daughters of K.Rangasamy Konar, who was originally first plaintiff in suit who died during pendency of suit - Respondent, who is first defendant in suit is brother of Rangasamy Konar - Petitioners have admitted execution of Will by Ramakkal, mother of Rangasamy Konar in favour of her another son, respondent herein bequeathing suit property - But, it is their case that it is a conditional Will, as Ramakkal in her Will has laid a condition that legatee must pay debts incurred by her - According to petitioners, respondent has not complied with conditions imposed in Will and therefore, right and title bequeathed by Ramakkal in favour of respondent/first defendant in Will has to be extinguished - They also admit that another suit filed by K.Rangasamy Konar, petitioners father for partition in respect of suit property was dismissed on the ground that there is a Will in favour of respondent/first defendant - Petitioners also admit that respondent filed a suit – Held, Respondent has not complied with condition to pay debts of testator of Will, no amount of imagination will ever lead to conclusion that respondent has played fraud upon petitioners - Even though filing of frivolous and vexatious suit was brought to notice of Court in a revision filed by petitioners who are themselves plaintiffs in suit, this Court has got power to strike off plaint filed by petitioners as Article 227 of Constitution of India does not bar High Court to exercise such power even if it is detrimental to interest of petitioners who have themselves approached this Court under Article 227 of Constitution of India - Trial Court and Lower Appellate Court have rightly held suit filed by petitioners is an abuse of process of Court - Respondent who has been harassed by frivolous and vexatious litigation instituted by the petitioners must be adequately compensated by way of costs - In considered view of this Court, a sum of Rs.25,000/- will have to be paid by petitioners to respondent as costs for filing a frivolous and vexatious suit instead of Rs.2,000/- awarded by Lower Appellate Court - In result, there is absolutely no merit in this revision and CRP is dismissed with cost of Rs.25,000/- payable by petitioners to respondent within a period of two weeks from date of receipt of this order and plaint filed in on file of II Additional Subordinate Judge, Coimbatore is directed to be struck off by this Court – Appeal Disposed Of.

ORDER :

1. The instant revision is a classic example as to how an unscrupulous litigant has grossly abused the process of Court to deprive his opponent to enjoy the fruits of a decree for possession which has reached finality. Public will lose faith in the judiciary if there is no finality in litigation and a party is allowed to re-agitate and re-litigate a matter even after the earlier litigation on the same subject matter has reached a finality by the decision of the highest Court between the same parties. The practice of re-litigating and reagitating the dispute even after the adjudication of the dispute has reached finality by the decision of the highest Court must be nipped in the bud and the Courts must be stringent and ruthless while dealing with such kind of frivolous and vexatious litigations abusing the process of Courts and the judicial system.

2. The instant revision has been filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, challenging the order dated 27.06.2012, passed in C.M.A.No.72 of 2011 by the I Additional District Judge, Coimbatore, confirming the order dated 06.07.2011, passed in I.A.No.343 of 2010 in O.S.No.440 of 2010 by the II Additional Subordinate Judge of Coimbatore.

3. Brief facts leading to the filing of the instant revision:

(i)The petitioners are the plaintiffs in the suit O.S.No.756 of 2007 on the file of the District Judge at Coimbatore, which was renumbered as O.S.No.440 of 2010. The respondent is the first defendant in the suit in O.S.No.440 of 2010. The suit was filed by the petitioners seeking the following reliefs:

(a)To declare the right and title bequeathed in favour of the respondent in the Will dated 16.01.1979 executed by Ramakkal has been extinguished.

(b)To cancel the judgment and decree dated 29.03.1983 in O.S.No.575 of 1980 on the file of the District Munsif Court, Coimbatore as null and void.

(c)To cancel the judgment and decree in O.S.No.153 of 2004 dated 28.01.2005 on the file of the Subordinate Judge, Coimbatore as null and void.

(d)For partition of the suit property into 32 equal shares by metes and bounds, allotting and handing over the possession of 9 sets shares to the petitioners by appointing a Commissioner.

4. The case of the petitioners in the plaint filed in O.S.No.440 of 2010 is that they are the sons and daughters of K.Rangasamy Konar, who was originally the first plaintiff in the suit who died during the pendency of the suit. The respondent, who is the first defendant in the suit is the brother of Rangasamy Konar. The petitioners have admitted the execution of Will dated 16.01.1979 by Ramakkal, the mother of Rangasamy Konar in favour of her another son K.Mani, the respondent herein bequeathing the suit property. But, it is their case that it is a conditional Will, as Ramakkal in her Will has laid a condition that the legatee must pay the debts incurred by her. According to the petitioners, the respondent has not complied with the conditions imposed in the Will and therefore, the right and title bequeathed by Ramakkal in favour of the respondent/first defendant in the Will dated 16.01.1979 has to be extinguished. They also admit that another suit O.S.No.575 of 1980 filed by K.Rangasamy Konar, the petitioners father for partition in respect of the suit property was dismissed on the ground that there is a Will in favour of the respondent/first defendant. They also admit that the First Appeal in A.S.No.249 of 1993 on the file of the Principal District Judge, Coimbatore has been dismissed. They also admit that the Second Appeal S.A.No.647 of 1987 on the file of this Court has also been dismissed. But, according to them, they have not raised the issue of non-compliance of the condition attached in the Will and therefore, the present suit O.S.No.440 of 2010 is not barred by res judicata or by limitation.

5. The petitioners also admit that the respondent filed a suit against the petitioners in O.S.No.153 of 2004 on the file of the Subordinate Judge, Coimbatore, seeking possessio







































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