IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADRAS
G.K. ILANTHIRAIYAN, J.
Manish Agarwal and Ors. - Appellants
Versus
Chitra Construction Pvt. Ltd. - Respondent
C.R.P.(PD) No. 1912 of 2015 and M.P. No. 1 of 2015
Decided On : 04-01-2021
Tamilnadu Court Fees and Suit Valuation Act - Section 25(d) - Court Fees Act - Sections 40 and 7(iv-A) - Madras Court fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1955 - Section 40 - properties involved as on date of the plaint - Suit for declaration and injunction in respect of the suit properties - Lend money - Suit for declaration to declare the sale deed executed in favour of the first petitioner/defendant - Principal of power of attorney executed in favour of the second petitioner/defendant - Whether the Full Bench Judgement - Whether that has to be valued under Section 7(iv-A) for the purpose of court fee and court fee should be paid on the market value of the - Deposit of title deed and also agreement for sale in respect of the properties - Respondent/plaintiff executed power of attorney in favour of second petitioner/defendant in respect of plot suit schedule properties as directed by the first petitioner/defendant - Respondent/plaintiff sold out plot No. 96, in favour of one K. Joseph George by a registered sale deed vide document and plot No. 97 was sold out by a registered sale deed vide document - On said sale consideration, respondent/plaintiff settled the entire amount which was borrowed by him to the first petitioner/defendant with interest virtue of construction agreements - Respondent/plaintiff completed the construction and handed over possession to the said persons and they are in possession and enjoyment of the suit schedule properties – Held, respondent/plaintiff, the second petitioner/defendant executed sale deed in favour of the first petitioner/defendant for the sale consideration - Second petitioner is the power of attorney, the respondent is the principal of the said power of attorney - Properties originally stand in the name of the respondent herein and the respondent executed power of attorney in favour of the second petitioner - On the strength of said power of attorney, the second petitioner executed sale deed in favour of the first petitioner herein - Respondent is also a party to the sale deed which is under challenge in the suit - Respondent ought to have valued the suit according to the value of the sale deed - Court below erred in holding that the respondent is not a party to document which is under challenge in suit and as such the respondent paid nominal fee and valued the suit under Section 25(d) of the Tamil Nadu Court Fees and Suit Valuation Act - Respondent should have valued the suit under Section 40 of the Tamil Nadu Court Fees and Suit Valuation Act - Petition is allowed
ORDER :
G.K. Ilanthiraiyan, J.
1. This revision petition has been filed challenging the fair and decreetal order dated 13.08.2014 made in I.A. No. 2145 of 2013 in O.S. No. 68 of 2013 on the file of the Additional District Munsif Court, Alandur, thereby dismissing the petition filed by the petitioners/defendants to reject the plaint.
2. The respondent is the plaintiff in the above suit. He filed the suit for declaration and injunction in respect of the suit properties. The case of the respondent/plaintiff is that the first petitioner/defendant is a money lender and he is known to the respondent/plaintiff for the past ten years. He used to lend money to the companies for financial requirements. While lending loan, the first petitioner/defendant used to get registered power of attorney, deposit of title deed and also agreement for sale in respect of the properties.
3. Accordingly, while borrowing loan, the respondent/plaintiff executed power of attorney in favour of the second petitioner/defendant in respect of plot Nos. 96 & 97 viz., the suit schedule properties as directed by the first petitioner/defendant. Thereafter, the respondent/plaintiff sold out plot No. 96, in favour of one K. Joseph George by a registered sale deed dated 30.07.2009 vide document No. 2808 of 2009 and plot No. 97 was sold out to one D. Raja Singh Prabahar & A. Packia Rani by a registered sale deed dated 08.01.2010 vide document No. 68 of 2010. On the said sale consideration, the respondent/plaintiff settled the entire amount which was borrowed by him to the first petitioner/defendant with interest. In fact, by virtue of construction agreements dated 25.05.2009 & 05.11.2009, the respondent/plaintiff completed the construction and handed over possession to the said persons and they are in possession and enjoyment of the suit schedule properties.
4. After settling the entire amount, the first petitioner/defendant in order to grab the entire properties, executed a sale deed dated 26.07.2010 vide document No. 3907 of 2010 in his favour, through the power of attorney viz., the second petitioner/defendant. Therefore, the respondent/plaintiff being the principal of the power of attorney executed in favour of the second petitioner/defendant, filed a suit for declaration to declare the sale deed executed in favour of the first petitioner/defendant through the second petitioner/defendant is null and void along with the injunction prayer.
5. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioners/defendants would submit that even according to the respondent/plaintiff, he sold out the suit schedule properties by the registered sale deeds dated 30.07.2009 and 08.01.2010. Therefore, the respondent has no title or right over the suit schedule properties, as such there is absolutely no cause of action to the respondent/plaintiff to file the present suit against the petitioners/defendants herein. He would further submit that the suit is valued under Section 25(d) of the Tamilnadu Court Fees and Suit Valuation Act instead of valuing the suit properties under Section 40 of the Court Fees Act, since the properties are valued at Rs.12,80,000/- as per the sale deed dated 26.07.2010 vide document No. 3907 of 2010. Therefore, the petitioners/defendants filed an application in I.A. No. 2145 of 2013 to reject the plaint. The trial Court without considering the above facts dismissed the said application. Aggrieved by the same, the present Civil Revision Petition.
6. Though notice was served on the respondent/plaintiff herein and his name was printed in the cause list, none appeared on behalf of the respondent by person or through pleader.
7. Admittedly, the respondent was the absolute owner of the properties comprised in Plot Nos. 96 and 97 viz., suit schedule properties. According to the respondent/plaintiff while availing loan, he executed power of attorney in respect of the suit schedule properties in favour of the second petitioner/defendant as directed by the first petitioner/defendant. Eve
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