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2024 Supreme(Online)(RAJ) 39

HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN (JODHPUR BENCH)
Rekha Borana, J
Ishwar Chand Jangid – Appellant
Versus
Manoj Kumar Sharma – Respondent
Civil Misc. Appeal No. 1129/2023



Advocates:
For the Appellants/Petitioners: Mr. Narendra Thanvi
For the Respondents:Mr. Rajesh Joshi, Sr. Advocate, Mr. Devesh A. Purohit

A temporary injunction requires a prima-facie case, balance of convenience, and irreparable injury; violations of these principles can justify appellate intervention.

Headnote:(A) Order 39 Rules 1 & 2, CPC - Temporary injunction - A trial court's interim relief can only be granted based on a prima-facie case, balance of convenience, and irreparable injury. The appellate court should intervene when a lower court's decision is arbitrary or violates legal principles. (Paras 5, 7)

(B) Agreement - If an agreement is executed but disputed on the ground of freewill, the contents must still be demonstrably supported by evidence before any injunctive relief is awarded. Consequences of such orders can be irreversible if the suit fails. (Paras 5, 6)

Facts of the case:
The appellant challenged the trial court's decision to grant a restraining order against selling stone from a mine, valued at Rs.1,19,74,254/-, claiming the suit for specific performance was not based on a valid agreement.

Findings of Court:
The Court found the trial court's order impractical, effectively decreeing the suit before final determination on merits.

Issues: The main legal issue was whether the order granting interim relief was permissible given the circumstances of the purported agreement.

Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized that a temporary injunction should only be granted when the party demonstrates a clear prima-facie case, stating that impropriety in the order warranted appellate intervention.

Result: The impugned order was quashed, and status quo was directed to be maintained.

Table of Content
1. appellant challenges trial court's interim relief order. (Para 1)
JUDGEMENT

1.The present appeal has been preferred by the appellant-defendant against the order dated 25.05.2023 passed by the Additional District Judge, Makrana in Civil Misc. Case No.13/2023 (CIS No.13/2023) whereby, the application under Order 39 Rules 1 & 2, CPC as preferred by the respondent- plaintiff had been allowed.

Vide the impugned order, the learned Trial Court restrained the appellant-defendant from shifting and selling the stone excavated from the mine in question as per the choice of the respondent-plaintiff to the extent of valuation of Rs.1,19,74,254/-. 2.Learned counsel for the appellant submitted that vide the order impugned, the learned Trial Court has virtually decreed the suit as it has granted the relief as prayed for in the suit.

(2 of 7) Counsel, at the inception, while denying the execution of any agreement by the defendant submitted that the learned Trial Court totally ignored the fact that the present was a suit for specific performance of contract and as was clear on record, the contract/ agreement in question itself was not a valid contract which could have been enforced. When the agreement itself was not enforceable in terms of law, no interim relief qua the said agreement could have been granted.

Counsel further submitted that although the learned Trial Court itself observed that no finding qua the agreement or the diary in question could be given at this stage, however, proceeded on to grant an interim relief in favour of the plaintiff relying on the said two documents as if they had been proved on record. Once the Court refrained from recording any finding qua the said two documents, reliance upon the same was totally erroneous and in excess of jurisdiction.

Counsel further submitted that the order impugned deserves interference even on the premise that compliance of the same is totally impractical and is not feasible. It is beyond imagination as to how firstly, the stone specifically of the choice of the plaintiff would be identified and secondly, as to how and where the stone of the valuation of Rs.1,19,74,254/- would be stored. Counsel further raised the apprehension of being alleged of contempt of the orders of the Court in both ways, even if the defendant complied with the order or he does not. The choice of the plaintiff qua the stone is a fact totally dependent upon the sweet will of the plaintiff and the defendant has been left totally on the mercy of the plaintiff vide the order impugned.

(3 of 7) Counsel further submitted that the present was a clear case wherein, the plaintiff failed to prove any prima-facie case or any irreparable injury. Admittedly, the dispute was pertaining to a particular quantified amount of money and the same can definitely be compensated with, in terms of money if at all, the plaintiff succeeds in his suit. No interim injunction as granted by the learned Trial Court could have been granted in the present facts and circumstances.

In support of his submissions, counsel relied upon the following judgments :-

    (i)M/s. Best Sellers Retail (India) Pvt. Ltd. vs. M/s. Aditya Birla Nuvo Ltd. & Ors.; AIR 2012 SC 2448 (ii)Dalpat Kumar & Anr. vs. Prahlad Singh & Ors.; 1993 (Suppl.) Civil Court Cases 507 (S.C.) (iii) Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. vs. Municipal Board Chaksu & Anr.; RLW 1998(2) Raj. 1204 (iv) Sri Subramanya Sri Devara Bhandram Thokur vs. T. Srinivasa Rao; 1996(2) Civil Court Cases 76 (Karnataka) (v)Himachal Steel Rerollers and Fabricators. vs. The Union of India & Ors.; AIR 1988 Allahabad 191. 3.Per contra, learned senior counsel for the respondent submitted that the execution of the agreement in question was very well proved on record as the stamp for the same was purchased by the son of the defendant himself and even the relevant copy of the Register of the Notary Public bearing the signatures of all the parties/witnesses was placed on record.
    (4 of 7) Counsel further submitted that

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