Full Order Text
Final Order 1 · 03 Oct 2020 · CNR MHCC010069412019
Order Details: Notice of Motion Pdf Text: IN THE COURT OF CITY CIVIL FOR GREATER BOMBAY AT BOMBAY NOTICE OF MOTION NO.2528 OF 2019 IN S.C.SUIT NO.1608 OF 2019 (CNR NO.:MHCC01000694/2019) Mr.Haradhan Madhusudan Das ... Plaintiff Versus 1. Mr.Chanchal Haradhan Das, 2. Mrs.Sunaina Chanchal Das, ... Defendants CORAM: HIS HONOUR JUDGE SHRI K.P.NANDEDKAR (COURT ROOM NO.9) DATE : 3rd OCTOBER, 2020 Mr.P.M.Bhat, ld. adv. for plaintiff. None for defendants. O R D E R 1. This Notice of Motion is filed by plaintiff for temporary injunction for order restraining defendants or any person claiming through them from entering upon, occupying, staying over in suit premises i.e. Room no.5, 2nd floor, Nemani Building no.4, Bhoiwada, Bhuleshwar Road, Mumbai02. Plaintiff has filed his affidavit in support of notice of motion contending that he is intending to rely upon the contentions raised in the plaint. It is further contended that plaintiff is tenant in use, occupation and possession of suit premises. His son and daughter i.e. defendants have forcibly entered in suit premises by lodging false complaint against plaintiff and under threats of getting arrested plaintiff by police. It is contended that defendants are not allowing plaintiff to use suit premises even though defendnats have no right of any nature in suit premises. -- 1 of 16 -- :2: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 2. As mentioned in the plaint, plaintiff is senior citizen and he is tenant in use, occupation and possession of suit premises. Copy of rent receipt of suit premises is annexed to plaint as Exh.A. It is contended that suit premises is being used by plaintiff for his business since 1973 as Silversmith and Goldsmith. Plaintiff has obtained suit premises on tenancy basis. Electricity and telephone bills in respect of suit premises stand in the name of plaintiff. Copies of telephone and electricity bills of suit premises are annexed to the plaint as Exhs.B and C. Plaintiff has acquired shops and establishment license in respect of his business which is being carried out by him in suit premises. Copy of said license is annexed to the plaint as Exh.D. Plaintiff is member of Maharashtra labour Welfare Board and notice dated 16/12/2006 issued by said Board to plaintiff is received by plaintiff at suit premises. Copy of said notice is annexed to the plaint as Exh.E. 3. It is contended that defendant no.1 is the only son of plaintiff and defendant no.2 is the wife of defendant no.1 i.e. she is daughterinlaw of plaintiff. Defendant no.1 used to assist the plaintiff in plaintiff's work as Silversmith and Goldsmith. Plaintiff had trained defendant no.1 in said business. Since plaintiff's residential premises is hardly of 200 sq.ft. Plaintiff had acquired additional premises on tenancy basis in the name of defendant no.1, in the year, about 2006 and said premises is in Sukany Niwas Building situated at Jagannath Shankarsheth Road, Mumbai400 002, so that defendant no.1 can have separate room and privacy for him and his family after his marriage. Copy of rent receipt of said premises acquired by plaintiff in the name of defendant no.1 is annexed to the plaint as Exh.F. Plaintiff had also acquired one ownership flat in the name of defendant no.1 at Bhyindar in the year, 2012. It is contended that defendant no.1 got married with -- 2 of 16 -- :3: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 defendant o.2 on 13/12/2013. Plaintiff has celebrated said marriage. After marriage defendants initially started residing with plaintiff and his wife. However, plaintiff noticed that behaviour of defendant no.2 was uncultured and insulting. Therefore, plaintiff asked defendant nos.1 and 2 to stay separately in tenanted premises in Sukany Niwas building at Jagannath Shankarshet Road, Mumbai. Even while staying separately defendants used to visit plaintiff at his residence. Whenever defendants used to visit plaintiff and his wife, both the defendants invariably used to demand transfer of rights of suit premises in the name of defendant no.2. When plaintiff declined to do so, defendants picked up serious quarrels with plaintiff and his wife and in rage of anger defendants used to threaten plaintiff and his wife of serious consequences. Defendants also used to threaten plaintiff and his wife that they will have to face criminal complaint. Thereupon, plaintiff and his wife asked defendants not to come to plaintiff's residential premises. 4. It is contended that in or about January, 2019, defendant no.1 disposed off the tenanted premises acquired by plaintiff for defendant no.1 in Sukanya Niwas building and defendant no.1 also has disposed off Bhynder flat in the year, 2018 without informing plaintiff. Thereafter, defendants started staying at different places on leave and license. In the beginning of November, 2018 defendants forcibly entered in suit premises and they started residing in suit premises without plaintiff's consent and wish. That time plaintiff asked defendants to vacate suit premises, however they threatened that if plaintiff will try to oust them from suit premises, plaintiff would got arrested on the basis of false complaint of defendant no.2. Thus, plaintiff was prevented from occupying and using suit premises for his business and plaintiff has been rendered unemployed without any -- 3 of 16 -- :4: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 means. It is alleged that defendant no.2 put her threat in action by lodging false complaint on 13/12/2018 with police station and in said complaint defendant no.2 falsely alleged that plaintiff had pulled her hair and touched her inappropriately. Copy of said complaint is annexed to the plaint as Exh.G. In said complaint defendant no.2 has admitted that she is occupying suit premises since prior to two months of filing said complaint. It is contended that on account of said false complaint plaintiff was repeatedly called by police for investigation and he is mentally harassed on account of false complaint lodged by defendant no.2 at the instance of defendant no.1 with a view to prevent plaintiff from entering, occupying and using suit premises. The Investigating Officer after making thorough inquiry with neighbouring tenants and after viewing the CCTV footage of alleged incident came to the conclusion that said complaint lodged by defendant no.2 is false. 5. It is contended that the files containing important papers, bills regarding plaintiff's transactions are lying in suit premises. Further 350 grams gold belonging to plaintiff's customers and 12 carrots of diamonds were also kept by plaintiff in suit premises when defendants forcibly entered the suit premises and refused to move out of suit premises. It is contended that defendants have no right in suit premises which absolutely belongs to plaintiff. The defendant no.1 being son of plaintiff was only allowed to assist plaintiff in his business without having any independent right in suit premises or any part thereof. It is contended that suit premises is the only place of plaintiff's business and only source of plaintiff's livelihood along with his wife. Defendants are occupying suit premises for their residence and they are preventing plaintiff from using and occupying suit premises for plaintiff's business by threatening plaintiff to implicate him in false -- 4 of 16 -- :5: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 police case and as such defendants have jeopardised, plaintiff's tenancy right in respect of suit premises which has been let out to the plaintiff for commercial use. Defendant no.1 is family member of plaintiff, by virtue of his birth in the family, however defendant no.1 has no legal right to occupy suit premises against the wishes of plaintiff. In such circumstances, according to plaintiff he is entitled to the reliefs claimed in plaint as well as in notice of motion. 6. Defendant no.1 has filed his affidavit of reply to the notice of motion for himself and defendant no.2. It is contended that plaintiff has filed the suit with the intention of harassing defendants and to give counterblast to the complaint lodged on behalf of defendants against plaintiff. Plaintiff has suppressed true facts from this Court. Plaintiff has not come before the Court with clean hands. Therefore, plaintiff is not entitled to any reliefs. It is contended that in Vasudeo Building there are two rooms bearing Room nos.6 & 7 which are in the name of plaintiff and another room in the name of plaintiff's wife. Room no.6 was taken in the name of plaintiff and defendant no.1 and thereafter room no.7 was also obtained. Plaintiff's mother is housewife. It is contended that suit premises is tenanted premises and suit is related to tenanted premises, hence this Court has no jurisdiction to entertain the suit. It is contended that plaintiff has sought eviction of defendants without any prayer in the plaint and without paying proper Court fees. It is contended that defendants are just trespassers liable to be evicted from suit premises and under the guise of notice of motion plaintiff is trying to obtain decree of eviction against defendants, hence reliefs claimed by the plaintiff cannot be granted. It is contended that negative declaration sought by plaintiff cannot be granted. It is contended that defendant no.1 has married sister namely Sumitra Adak. Plaintiff was -- 5 of 16 -- :6: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 born and brought up at Room Nos.6 and 7 referred above and in the year 2013 when he got married while he was staying in those room. It is contended that marriage of defendant no.1 was arranged marriage and his wife was selected by plaintiff, his wife and daughter. After marriage defendant no.1 was residing exclusively with his wife at Room no.7 and plaintiff with his wife was residing in Room no.6, being joint family HUF. Defendant no.1 has Ration Card showing names of all family members and their address at Room no.6 from Vasudeo Building. Defendant no.1 has various documents like Election Commission Card, Aadhar Card, PAN Card, Bank Passbook, Income Tax details etc. showing address of defendant no.1 at Room no.6 Vasudeo Building. Defendant no.1 has studied up till 12th Std. and after passing 10th std. Examination, defendant no.1 started assisting plaintiff at suit premises. Since, 1999 defendant no.1 is assisting in the business of his father at suit premises, however since 2015 plaintiff is not regularly attending the business of suit premises due to plaintiff's poor health as plaintiff is suffering from Diabetis and Blood Pressure. It is contended that there was no major dispute between plaintiff and defendant no.1 till the middle of 2018. Plaintiff, his wife along with both defendants were jointly residing in Room nos.6 and 7 referred above and plaintiff and defendant no.1 were jointly doing the business at suit premises. Defendant no.1 full time is involved in business at suit premises. Flat at Bhynder was purchased in the year, 2010 in the name of defendant no,1 however same was never used for residence of defendants and plaintiff with his wife. Said flat was continuously given on leave and license till 2018 when it was sold. The income derived out of license fees was used for meeting the needs of joint family. The defendants used to manage joint family with plaintiff. -- 6 of 16 -- :7: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 7. It is contended that another premises at Sukanya Nwas building was obtained on tenancy and it was non residential premises. Said premises was obtained in 2004 by plaintiff in the name of defendant no.1. Said premises was given since beginning on leave and license basis and it was never used for business. The income of license fees was used for meeting family expenses. As such defendant no.1 was residing with his parents along with his wife at Vasudeo building, hence according to defendant no.1 plaintiff and defendant no.1 are joint family members and they are running the business jointly. As relations between plaintiff and defendant no.1 were good and cordial, the amount received by selling flat at Bhynder was kept with plaintiff as joint family. It is contended that defendant no.1 was residing with his parents after the flat at Bhynder and tenanted premises at Sukanya Niwas building was sold and consideration therefrom was entrusted to plaintiff, noticeable change was seen in behavour of the plaintiff. It is contended that root cause of the dispute was that since 2013 defendant no.1 is childless. It is alleged that parents of defendant no.1 on so many times asked defendant no.1 to give divorce to defendant no.2 as she is unable to bear any children and as such parents of defendant no.1 wanted that defendant no.1 should abandon his wife and he should get remarried so that there can be child in the family. It is contended that defendant no.1 refused above suggestion of parents saying that he cannot give divorce to his wife and therefore, parents of defendant no.1 turned against him and they are supporting sister and brother in law of defendant no.1. 8. It is alleged that all consideration amounts received by defendant no.1 are paid to plaintiff and therefore, plaintiff planned to oust defendants from room no.7 Vasudeo Building. The Clothes of -- 7 of 16 -- :8: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 defendants and various various jewelery and documents and furniture were lying in room no.7 Vasudeo building. It is alleged that on 28/10/2018 at 4.00 p.m. when defendant no.1 went to his residence he foudnt hat lock was put up on room no.7 Vasudeo Building by removing the lock which was put up by defendant no.1 Said another lock was put up by plaintiff and further plaintiff has collected 25 persons and restrained defendants from entering suit premises. It is contended that defendants were told by plaintiff that henceforth defendants will not be allowed to reside in Room no.7, Vasudeo building and they are asked to find out any other premises. Due to it defendant no.1 was shocked since defendant no.1 was in use, occupation and possession of said room as member of HUF. It is alleged that plaintiff obtained sale proceedings of Rs.16,00,000/ of Bhynder flat and said proceeds of about Rs.12,00,000/ of the premises from Sukanya Niwas building. 9. It is denied that plaintiff is in possession of suit premises. It is contended that defendants are in possession of suit premises and defendant no.1 is involved in the business from 1999 and more actively since 2005 being member of the HUF. The defendant no.1 has been mostly contributing the rent even though suit premises is in the name of plaintiff. Defendant no.1 has paid the rent for the period between 2016 to 2018 and he is possessing original rent receipts issued by landlord. Even otherwise contribution of defendant no.1 towards rent is from 19992000 and the reason was that business was called joint family business. Since, 2005 defendant no.1 is actively involved in the business at suit premises plaintiff used to come hours or two at the place of business and plaintiff used to go away after receiving the money. It is contended that there was common residence and business of plaintiff and defendant no.1, hence name of defendant appearing in -- 8 of 16 -- :9: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 Ration Card showing their address along with parents of defendant no.1. It is contended that electricity bill of suit premises since 2017 standing in the name of defendant no.1. It is admitted that defendant no.1 is the only son of plaintiff and hence, he has love and affection for plaintiff and mother of defendant no.1. For that reasons defendant no.1 left his studies after passing of 12th standard in the year, 2000 and defendant no.1 has become right hand of plaintiff in carrying out day today business. After 2006, defendant no.1 carried out business so that plaintiff can have the rest as plaintiff has crossed the age of 50 years. It is admitted that marriage of defendant no.1 was settled by plaintiff and defendant no.2 was selected by parents and sisters of plaintiff. It is denied that defendant no.2 was uncultured and she was insulting family members. It is alleged that till 2018 everything was fine and when plaintiff received the money of the sale proceeds of the premises at Bhynder and Sukany Niwas building, the attitude of plaintiff changed as such plaintiff has literally put on road. Even though all the garments and articles of defendants were lying in room no.7 of Vasudeo building. Thereafter, plaintiff started making false allegations against defendants. 10. It is contended that defendant no.1 is obedient son and he was always maintaining his parents and he is ready to maintain them. However, plaintiff should allow defendant no.1 to reside in room no.7 of Vasudeo building so that defendants can have peaceful life and defendant no.1 can carry out business of joint family. It is contended that at one point of time suit premises was residential before occupants started to use the premises from building as commercial. Further it is common practice of goldsmiths to use part of the premises jointly as commercial and residential. It is contended that since 1999 defendant no.1 is using suit premises mainly for business and now plaintiff is -- 9 of 16 -- :10: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 trying to oust defendant no.1 from suit premises. It is alleged that plaintiff is demanding huge amount from defendant no.1 and threatening to remove defendant no.1 from suit premises. It is contended that the documents possessed by defendant no.1 show that till end of 2018 the defendant was possessing suit premises, however after the amount of sale proceeds of premises at Bhynder and Sukanya Niwas building are handed over to plaintiff his behaviour is changed. It is contended that allegations made in the plaint are false and it is denied that defendants have no right in suit premises and only plaintiff has the rights in suit premises. According to defendants as defendants are members of HUF and as defendant no.1 since the year, 2000 is carrying out business at suit premises and as he has developed the business defendants are entitled to occupy suit premises. It is contended that telephone connection at suit premises is in the name of defendant no.1 and shops and establishment license in respect of suit premises is also in the name of defendant no.1 which clearly show that defendants have right, title and interest in suit premises. It is contended that suit premises the only place of business of defendant no.1 and it is only source of income for his family. It is contended that defendants are not interested in involving plaintiff in false case. With the help of those contentions, defendants have prayed to dismiss the notice of motion. 11. Plaintiff has filed his affidavit of rejoinder and denied that there is HUF as alleged by defendants. However, it is admitted that defendant no.1 being son of plaintiff, the names of defendants are appearing in the Ration Card at the address of Room no.6 of Vasudeo building. It is contended that by virtue of Election card, Voters ID Card, Aadhar Card, PAN Card, Bank Passbook and income tax details do not give any right in favour of defendants. It is contended that defendant -- 10 of 16 -- :11: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 no.1 studied up to 12th Std., but defendant no.1 could not acquire expertise in goldsmith's business. It is denied that defendant no.1 started assisting plaintiff in the business. It is contended that plaintiff was required to employ artisan for making the ornaments. It is denied that since 1999 defendant no.1 is working with plaintiff from suit premises as member of HUF. It is contended that defendant no.1 was allowed to come to suit premises to learn the art of making silver and gold ornaments. It is denied that plaintiff is not attending the business regularly since 2015. It is contended that even though plaintiff is suffering from diabetes and blood pressure those diseases are under control by regular medication. It is alleged that after marriage of defendant, plaintiff and his wife were tolerating and misbehavour defendants. It is admitted that after marriage, defendants were permitted to reside with plaintiff in room nos.6 and 7 of Vasudeo Building. It is contended that the tenanted premises from Sukanya Niwas building was acquired by plaintiff in the name of defendant no.1. It is denied that amount received from sale proceeds of Bhynder flat is kept with plaintiff. The incident dated 28/10/2018 is also denied by plaintiff. It is contended that by contributing or paying the rent, electricity bills and out goings of suit premises will not give any legal right in favour of defendants. It is contended that the business from suit premises belongs only to plaintiff and defendant no.1 has no right in it. It is denied that defendant no.1 is obedient son and always ready to maintain plaintiff and his wife. All the allegations made by defendants are denied by plaintiff. It is alleged that false complaint in writing is made by defendant no.2 at the instance of defendant no.1 and it shows that defendants can go to any level to oust plaintiff from plaintiff's commercial premises. It is denied that defendants shifted to suit premises just as a case of emergency and requirement. It is also denied -- 11 of 16 -- :12: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 that the building in which suit premises is situated was residential building before occupants or tenants from said building started to use it as commercial. It is specifically contended that suit premises is commercial one and plaintiff is using it since beginning for commercial purpose. It is denied that it is common practice of goldsmiths to reside in the part of business premises, however it is contended that defendants are forcibly using suit premises for their residence even though they have no legal right to reside in it. 12. Roznama of the matter shows that on 16/09/2019 arguments of plaintiff's advocate Mr.Bhat were heard. Adv.Mr.Bhat submitted that defendants are served with writ of summons and copy of notice of motion and inspite of it till 16/09/2019 defendants had not filed their reply to notice of motion. It is argued that suit premises is commercial premises in which plaintiff is doing his business as goldsmith, however defendants have forcibly started residing in suit premises and thereby defendants have prevented plaintiff from doing his business. It is argued that defendants thereby have changed the user of suit premises hence landlord of suit premises may give notice to plaintiff for vacating suit premises for change of its user. Plaintiff's advocate referred copy of report lodged by defendant no.2 with V.P.Road Police Station, Mumbai on 13/12/2018. In said report defendant no.2 has alleged that plaintiff had outraged the modesty of defendant no.2 by pulling her hair and by touching her breast. According to plaintiff's advocate, said false report is filed with a intention to pressurize plaintiff and to deprive plaintiff from entering into suit premises. It is argued that defendant no.1 is real son of plaintiff and husband of defendant no.2 but defendant no.1 has instigated defendant no.2 to file false report with police, however due -- 12 of 16 -- :13: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 to CCTV footage of suit premises in which alleged incident was recorded, police concluded that plaintiff has not done any bad things as alleged, hence plaintiff could be saved. Plaintiff's advocate argued that defendants have no right to prevent plaintiff from entering into suit premises and to continue its occupation as suit premises is commercial one used for earning bread and butter by plaintiff. It is submitted that plaintiff has filed documents like rent receipts, shop and establishment license, electricity bills of suit premises etc. to show that, plaintiff is tenant in suit premises and plaintiff has right to occupy it. Hence, according to plaintiff's advocate notice of motion is necessary to be made absolute. 13. After hearing plaintiff's advocate on 16/09/2019 matter was adjourned to 19/09/2019, 24/09/2019 and meanwhile defendants have filed their reply to notice of motion. On 30/09/2019 both the learned advocates for plaintiff and defendants sought adjournment on the ground that parties to the suit were thinking for settlement, however settlement could not take place between the parties. Till 13/03/2020 arguments about notice of motion were not advanced on behalf of defendants and the Court was compelled to fix matter for order on notice of motion order on 21/03/2020, however due to Corona Pandemic the order could not be passed and as now the Court has started working daily the order is being passed. 14. I have given serious consideration to the pleadings of the parties and copies of documents annexed to the plaint. On careful perusal of notice of motion, its reply, it is noticed by me that defendant no.1 has contended that defendants along with plaintiff were residing in Room nos.6 and 7 from Vasudeo Building. Thus, it becomes clear that -- 13 of 16 -- :14: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 residence of plaintiff and defendants was separate from suit premises which is commercial one. Hence, it can be said that suit premises is used for commercial purpose only and it cannot be used by defendants for residential purpose. It is admitted fact that suit premises was obtained by plaintiff on tenancy basis and plaintiff as a tenant was/is doing his business as goldsmith at suit premises. Defendant no.1 has contended that since 2015 plaintiff is not keeping good health and therefore, defendant no.1 is running plaintiff's business from suit premises and further defendant no.1 has contended that since 1999 defendant no.1 is assisting plaintiff in business. If really defendant no.1 would have any interest in the business from suit premises and if really since 2015 defendant no.1 only would have started running plaintiff's business from suit premises, definitely defendant no.1 would have got transferred tenancy of suit premises in the name of defendant no.1 and further defendant no.1 would have got transferred the Shops and Establishment License of the business from suit premises in the name of defendant no.1. Till filing of this suit, defendant no.1 has not taken any such step hence it becomes clear that plaintiff only has the right to run the business from suit premises as his own business and it cannot be said to be the business of Hindu joint family. It is unfortunate that in the old age of plaintiff, defendants have made allegations of extreme level against plaintiff. It seems that defendants are intending to grab plaintiff's business and suit premises. Hence, I find that plaintiff has made out prima facie case for granting temporary injunction restraining defendants from entering in suit premises. Considering the facts that plaintiff is tenant of suit premises and plaintiff is doing his business from suit premises, I find that balance of convenience lies in favour of plaintiff and not in favour of defendants. If defendants will not allow plaintiff to do his business from suit premises, plaintiff and his wife in -- 14 of 16 -- :15: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 old age even will suffer for bread and butter. From the contentions raised by parties in pleadings it becomes clear that now defendants are not ready to take care of plaintiff and his wife as such if injunction will not be granted as prayed plaintiff will suffer from irreparable loss which cannot be compensated in terms of money because plaintiff will be deprived from doing his business at suit premises and therefore, will be deprived of bread and butter. In such circumstances, I find that plaintiff has made out all the essential ingredients for granting temporary injunction as prayed in notice of motion and defendants even have not taken care to argue about the notice of motion. Hence, I find that plaintiff is entitled for the reliefs sought in notice of motion and I proceed to pass following order. O R D E R Notice of Motion No.2528/2019 is made absolute in terms of prayer clause(a). Sd/ (K.P.NANDEDKAR) 03/10/2020 JUDGE, CITY CIVIL COURT, MUMBAI. Dictated on : 30/09/2020, 03/10/2020. Transcribed on : 15/10/2020 Signed by HHJ on : 15/10/2020 -- 15 of 16 -- :16: NM.2258/19 IN SUIT1608/19 “CERTIFIED TO BE TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF THE ORIGINAL SIGNED JUDGEMENT/ORDER” UPLOAD DATE TIME NAME OF STENOGRAPHER 03/10/2020 11.04AM B.R.HATEKAR S.G. Name of the Judge HHJ Shri K.P.NANDEDKAR(CR No.9) Date of Pronouncement of Judgment/Order. 03/10/2020 Judgment/order signed by P.O on 15/10/2020 Judgment/order uploaded on 21/10/2020 -- 16 of 16 --
