High CourtDivision BenchInterlocutory applications disposed; withdrawal...

KIRPAL KAUR ANO ANR. v. V.M. SINGH AND ORS.

Case / Petition Number:Civil Appeal No. 6327 of 2005; Civil Appeal No. 6326 of 2005
Neutral Citation:[2007] 9 S.C.R. 615

Case Details & Bench

Court
High Court
Hon'ble Judges
  • S. B. Sinha
  • Harjit Singh Bedi
Judgment Date
2007-08-30
Court Decision / Holding
The Court permitted the withdrawal of the interlocutory application (IA No. 16 in CA No. 6327 and related IAs). The application for impleadment was dismissed as infructuous, and the amount deposited by Shri V.M. Singh was ordered to be returned. The Court also directed the executing court to consider disposing of the execution proceedings at an early date, preferably within three months.
Final Disposition
Interlocutory applications disposed; withdrawal of IA allowed; impleadment application dismissed as infructuous; deposited amount to be returned; execution proceedings to be expedited.

Parties to the Case

Appellants / Petitioners

  • Kirpal Kaur and Anr.

Respondents

  • Shri V.M. Singh
  • Ors.

Legal Representation & Advocates

Counsels for Petitioners

  • • A. Lakshmi Raman Singh

Counsels for Respondents

  • • K.L. JAJANI
  • • Prashant Kumar
  • • Manik Karanjawala
  • • Arvind Minocha
  • • G.S. Chatterjee

Case Synopsis & Summary

This Supreme Court judgment concerns interlocutory applications arising in Civil Appeals Nos. 6327 of 2005 and 6326 of 2005, arising from a consent decree and family settlement following two partition suits. The respondent Shri V.M. Singh, who had acted as an assignee on behalf of the appellants, sought permission to deposit the balance amount in Court in pursuance of a Court direction, despite there being no Power of Attorney in his favour. An order dated 28 July 2006 had allowed deposit of the amount in the Civil Appeal, which was later to be rectified before final deposition. The matter also involved an application for impleadment, and a cross-contention regarding the cross-examination of affidavits containing serious allegations against the appellants. The appellant's counsel contended that the respondent’s conduct and the contents of the affidavits warranted not allowing withdrawal, and requested a cross-examination of the witnesses. The Court, however, restricted its inquiry to whether permission to deposit should be granted, not the veracity of the affidavits. Finding that the applicant expressed an intention to withdraw the IA, the Court permitted withdrawal of the IA, and held the impleadment application infructuous. The deposited amount is to be returned, and the executing court directed to dispose of execution proceedings promptly. The judgments thus dispose of the interlocutory applications without entering into substantive merits of the affidavits.

Submissions & Arguments

Contentions of Appellants / Petitioners

The appellants’ counsel argued against automatic withdrawal of the interlocutory application and pressed for cross-examination of affidavits, contending that the statements in the affidavits were defamatory and could be tested in evidence. They urged that the Court should not permit withdrawal without considering the implications of the allegations and suggested that certain documents (CD) be furnished to them for appropriate proceedings, including potential impleadment considerations.

Contentions of Respondents

The respondent contended that withdrawal of the IA would serve the interest of justice given the passage of time and the lack of ongoing remedy, and that further proceedings were unnecessary at this stage. He disputed the need for cross-examination of the affidavits and urged expeditious disposal of execution proceedings.

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Extracted Judgment Text

Exact text extracted from official judgment records.

A # KIRPAL KAUR ANO ANR. v. ## V.M. SINGH AND ORS. ## AUGUST 30, 2007 ## (S.B. SINHA AND HARJIT SINGH BEDI, JJ.] _Interlocutory application-In appeal arising out of decision based on settlement, Supreme Court, while disposing of appeal, giving certain directions-Since directions not complied with, on an IA having been filed,_ C _applicant permitted to deposit money in Court-On contest by other party, applicant seeking to withdraw said IA-The said other party resisting withdrawal of IA, stating that incorrect and defamatory a/legations were made therein·-Held: In the interlocutory applications, Court is concerned only with regard to the question whether permission should be accorded to applicant to deposit the amount pursuant to an earlier order-Since applicant_ D _has expressed his intention to withdraw the said IA, interest of justice would be sub-served if applicant is permitted to withdraw his IA-/As having become infructuous are rejected-Jn the instant proceedings, Court need not go into correctness or otherwise of allegations made by applicant in /Alaffidavitlf any person is aggrieved by the said statement of the applicant he may raise_ E _such contention in appropriate proceedings._ CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: I.A. No. 16 in Civil Appeal No. 6327 of2005. ## AND F I.A. No. 17 in I.A. No. 16 in Civil Appeal No. 6327 of 2005. > From the Judgment and Order dated 04.03.2003 of the High Court of Delhi at New Delhi in FAO{OS] No. 162 of2000. ## WITH G I.A. No. 16 in Civil Appeal No. 6326 of2005. ## AND I.A. No. 18 in I.A. No. 16 in C.A. No. 6326 of 2005. H 615 --\ 616 [2007] 9 S.C.R ## SUPREME COURT REPORTS A Lakshmi Raman Singh for the Appellants. K.L. Janjani, Prashant Kumar, Manik Karanjawala, Arvind Minocha and G.S. Chatterjee for the Respondents. Respondent-in-person. B The Order of the Court was delivered by ## **ORDER** I. Two suits of partition, one filed in the year 1975 andthe other in the C year 1989 were subject matter of the consent decree passed in or about April 1993. A deed of family settlement was executed between the parties to the suit. Applicant-Respondent herein was a beneficiary of the said family settlement. He had been acting on behalf of the appellants as their assignee. Appeals preferred against the said judgments and decrees were dismissed· by the High Court by a learned Single Judge of the High Court by an order dated - D 19.05.2000. Intra-court appeals preferred thereagainst were also dismissed by a Division Bench of the said Court by a common judgment and order dated 04.03.2003. Appellants ~erein filed applications for grant of special leave thereagainst before this Court. The said appeals by grant of special leave have been dismissed by this Court by an order dated 7.10. 2005 directing : ).. - E "However, having regard to the facts that the disputes between the members of one family which are sought to be solved leaving no _ outstanding area, we pass the further direction that in the event KK and Guneeta execute the General Power of Attorney in terms of the first agreement in favour of VMS, VMS will pay the balance amount due to KK and Guneeta in terms of the agreement. Such execution of - F the General Power of Attorney shall be within a period of our weeks from date the entire balance of amount must be paid within a period of four weeks thereafter. As far as AA is concerned, subject to her executing the necessary conveyance in respect of the 44 acres of land mentioned in clause - G e of the second agreement in favour of VMS, VMS will pay the balance amount payable to AA in terms of the second agreement. Such conveyance must be executed within a period of four weeks from date and the payment must be made within four weeks thereafter." 2. Allegedly, the said directions were not carried out. A contempt H petition was filed by Respondent No. l which was dismissed. Applicant _l--_ 617 _,.1,_ ## KIRPALKAURv. V.M.SINGH herein, viz., Shri V.M. Singh (original first respondent), however, filed an A application for grant of permission to deposit the amount in question before this Court, despite the fact that no Power of Attorney had been executed in his favour pursuant to the said direction of this Court. By an order dated 28.07.2006, the applicant was permitted to deposit the money as ordered in the Civil Appeal with the Registrar General of this Court. However, by an order dated 06.09.2006, he was permitted to deposit bank draft after rectifying B the defects pointed out by the Registry. 3. An application being I.A. No. 18 had been filed by Shri Shri Anandamayee Sangha for permission to file an application for impleadment as a party respondent in I.A. No. 16 in C.A. No. 6327 of 2005. The said C permission was accorded by this Court by an order dated 25.09.2006. The application filed by the applicant-respondent for depositing the amount in question has been opposed by the appellant. 4. Respondent-Applicant, who appeared in person, would submit that if the respondents or the appellants in the appeals have any objection in D n:gard to acceptance of the amount deposited by him in this Court pursuant to the aforementioned order, he would withdraw his application. 5. Ms. Kamini Jaiswal, learned counsel appearing on behalf of original appellants, however, would draw our attention to the statements made in the additional affidavit affirmed by the applicant and submitted that this Court, E in view of his conduct, should not permit him to withdraw this application at this stage as correctness of the statement made in the said additional affidavit is in question. 6. The learned counsel submitted that an affidavit had been affirmed by one Harish Kumar containing serious allegations against the original appellants F which were defamatory in nature. The deponent of the said affidavit should be permitted to be cross-examined. 7. Mr. Bhaskar P. Gupta, learned senior counsel appearing on behalf of the applicants in I.A. No.17 filed in I.A. No.16 in C.A. No. 6327 of2005, would G submit that it has become necessary for his clientto be impleaded as a party respondent to the proceedings as a deed of gift had been executed in its favour by the appellants even prior to the institution of partition suit. 8. In these Interlocutory Applications, this Court is concerned only with ·the question at this stage as to whether permission should be accorded to H 618 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 9 S.C.R. _-><_ - A the applicant to deposit the amount as directed by this Court on 28.07 .2006. It may be true that pursuant to the aforementioned order dated 28.07.2006, the amount in question has already been deposited. However, the applicant has expressed his intention to withdraw the said application. We do not see any reason as to why he should not be permitte~ to do so., In a proceeding of this nature, this Court need not go into the correctness or otherwise of the . - B allegations made by the applicant against the appellants or any other person. The prayer of the appellants that a copy of the CD which has been filed along with I.A. No.16 should be given to them also need not be considered at this stage. In our opinion, interest of justice would be subserved if the applicant is permitted to withdraw his Interlocutory Application. If the appellant or any - C other person is/are aggrieved by the statements made in the additional affidavit of the applicant and/ or in the affidavit affinned by one Harish Kumar; they may raise such contentions in appropriate proceedings as are permissible in law. A copy of the CD filc:d by the applicant be sent in a sealed cover to the executing court so as to enable the parties to file appropriate applications before the executing court in respect thereof, if they so desire. D 9. As we are permitting the applicant to withdraw his application, the application for impleadm~nt has become infructuous. It is dismissed accordingly. The amount deposited by Shri V.M. Singh be returned to him. 10. As the matter is pending for a long time, we would request the E learned executive court to consider the desirability of disposing of the execution proceedings at an early date preferably within a period three months of the from the communication of this order. , 11. Subject to the observations made hereinbefore, I.A. No.16 in both F the appeals is permitted to be withdrawn and ottier interlocutory applications are dismissed as having become. infructuous. . RP. I.A. No. 16 with and I.A. No. 18 dismissed. ; !"