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[Cites 5, Cited by 5]

Delhi High Court

Chandra Gupt vs Bharat Gupt & Anr. on 31 May, 2018

Equivalent citations: AIRONLINE 2018 DEL 1602

Author: Rajiv Sahai Endlaw

Bench: Rajiv Sahai Endlaw

*       IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

%                                          Date of decision: 31st May, 2018
+                            CS(OS) No.272/2018
        CHANDRA GUPT                         .... Plaintiff
                   Through: Ms. Anju Lal & Ms. Shalu Lal, Advs.
                           Versus
    BHARAT GUPT & ANR.                      ......Defendants
                  Through: None.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJIV SAHAI ENDLAW

1.      The plaintiff has instituted the present suit for recovery of possession

of "ground floor portion shown in red colour in the site plan filed by the

plaintiff and the entire first floor including the portion shown in red colour in

the site plan and the second floor" of property No.J-53, Ashok Vihar, Phase-

I, Delhi-110052 along with mesne profits. A perusal of the site plan filed

along with the plaint shows only one bed room with WC and bath on the

ground floor and one bedroom with WC and bath on the first floor of the

property shown in red colour.

2.      The plaintiff, in the plaint has pleaded (i) that the plaintiff is the sole

and absolute owner of the property No.J-53, Ashok Vihar, Phase-I, ad-

measuring 300 sq. yds., by virtue of a Gift Deed dated 9 th March, 2016

executed in his favour by his sister Mridula Garg; (ii) that the property,

comprises of a two and a half storied residential house; (iii) that the

CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                   Page 1 of 20
 defendant no.1 is the brother of the plaintiff and the defendant no.2 Yukti

Gupt is the wife of defendant no.1; (iii) that the lease of the land underneath

the property was granted to Ram Saran Gupta, father of the plaintiff and the

defendant no.1, who had constructed the two and a half storied house

thereon; (iv) that the defendants were residing in the house as members of

the family of Ram Saran Gupta; (v) over a passage of time, relations of the

defendants with Ram Saran Gupta and other family members deteriorated;

(vi) that Ram Saran Gupta, on 13th December, 1991 filed a suit against the

defendants, of mandatory injunction directing the defendants to remove

themselves, their children and belongings from the property and to hand over

possession thereof to Ram Saran Gupta; (vii) that Ram Saran Gupta in the

said suit also sought mesne profits; (viii) that the defendant no.1 contested

the said suit claiming to be in possession in his own right as owner and also

filed a Counter Claim seeking to restrain Ram Saran Gupta from forcibly

removing the defendants from the property; (ix) that Ram Saran Gupta

expired on 28th August, 2006 leaving behind his widow Shakuntala Devi,

daughter Mridula Garg, plaintiff and defendant no.1 as his sons, as his only

natural heirs; (x) that the relationship of the defendants with the plaintiff and

other family members remains strained after the demise of Ram Saran Gupta


CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                 Page 2 of 20
 also; (xi) that upon demise of Ram Saran Gupta, the plaintiff, Mridula Garg

and their mother Shakuntala Devi were substituted in place of Ram Saran

Gupta in the suit aforesaid filed by Ram Saran Gupta against the defendants;

(xii) that Ram Saran Gupta left a validly executed last Will dated 19th

August, 1991 bequeathing the property in favour of his daughter Mridula

Garg, with the condition that Mridula Garg, during the lifetime of Shakuntala

Devi, would not be competent to sell, mortgage or otherwise alienate the

property; (xiv) that Shakuntala Devi, under an oral family settlement reduced

into writing on 24th April, 2009 with Mridula Garg, gave up all her rights in

the property under the Will of Ram Saran Gupta; (xv) that the Delhi

Development Authority (DDA) also mutated the leasehold rights in the land

underneath the property in the name of Mridula Garg and has executed a

Conveyance Deed of freehold rights in the land underneath the property in

favour of Mridula Garg; (xvi) that Mridula Garg, out of love and affection

for the plaintiff, has gifted the property to the plaintiff; (xvii) that the

plaintiff requested the defendants to vacate the property but the defendants

have not complied; (xviii) that the plaintiff also filed an application under

Section 89 of the CPC in the suit aforesaid filed by Ram Saran Gupta,

proposing settlement of disputes and the suit and the Counter Claim


CS(OS) No.272/2018                                             Page 3 of 20
 aforesaid were referred to the Mediation Centre of District Court; (xix) that

in the Mediation Centre, a settlement was arrived at between the parties on

11th November, 2016 and which was signed by the plaintiff as legal

representative of Ram Saran Gupta, for himself as well as on behalf of his

mother Shakuntala Devi and sister Mridula Garg and the defendant no.1 also

signed the said settlement for himself and on behalf of his wife defendant

no.2; the settlement was also signed by counsel for the parties and Mediator;

(xx) that by virtue of the settlement dated 11th November, 2016, the

defendants were to vacate the portions / areas in their occupation and in lieu

thereof the plaintiff was to pay a total sum of Rs.2.2 crores to the defendants;

(xxi) that the settlement could not be enforced on account of

misunderstanding between the parties and the refusal of the defendant no.1

to sell another property bearing No.B-6/16, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi-

110029 which was jointly owned by the plaintiff and the defendant no.1;

(xxii) that the plaintiff gave a new proposal in writing to the defendants but

the defendants did not agree thereto also; (xxiii) that the plaintiff being the

absolute owner of the property under the Gift Deed aforesaid is entitled to

recover possession and mesne profits from the defendants who are in

unauthorized possession thereof.


CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                Page 4 of 20
 3.      The suit came up before this Court first on 30 th May, 2018, when in

the face of the aforesaid pleadings, it was enquired from the counsel for the

plaintiff as to how this suit is maintainable and whether not it is by way of

re-litigation.

4.      The counsel for the plaintiff stated that the earlier suit was filed by the

father of the plaintiff and this suit has been filed by the plaintiff and the

plaintiff, after becoming the owner of the property after the demise of the

father, is entitled to file a fresh suit.

5.      It was however put to the counsel for the plaintiff, that the plaintiff

being the successor in interest qua title to the property of his father, whether

not would be bound by the liabilities attached to his predecessor in interest.

It was further enquired as to how, merely by change of hands, a disability in

law attaching to an owner of the property, can be done away with.

6.      The counsel for the plaintiff then stated that while the earlier suit is for

mandatory injunction, the present suit is for recovery of possession.

7.      No merit was however found in the aforesaid contention also and it

was observed in yesterday‟s order that merely by change of form, the

disability in law cannot be got rid of. It was further enquired from the




CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                   Page 5 of 20
 counsel for the plaintiff, whether not the relief of mandatory injunction to

deliver possession was akin to the relief of recovery of possession.

8.      The counsel for the plaintiff then contended that the settlement arrived

at before the Mediation Cell had not been acted upon.

9.      It was however observed in yesterday‟s order that even if that be so,

the plaintiff, who admits to be substituted in place of his father in the earlier

suit and who had arrived at a settlement with defendants, ought to enforce

the said settlement in accordance with law and cannot start a fresh litigation.

10.     The counsel for the plaintiff then contended that the plaintiff will

withdraw the earlier suit.

11.     It was however observed in yesterday‟s order, that once the plaintiff

withdraws the earlier suit, this suit in any case would not be maintainable

and the plaint will have to be rejected. It was yet further observed that in any

case, as of yesterday, the earlier suit was pending and a second suit for the

same relief could not be entertained.

12.     The counsel for the plaintiff then stated that the earlier suit aforesaid

has been dismissed in default and an application for its restoration was

pending.




CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                 Page 6 of 20
 13.     It was however observed in yesterday‟s order that if the plaintiff did

not pursue the application for restoration of the earlier suit, the disabilities

under Order IX of the CPC would be attracted to the plaintiff.

14.     The counsel for the plaintiff then sought to withdraw this suit with

refund of court fees.

15.     However, it was felt that the counsel for the plaintiff should be given

time to collate her thoughts and the suit was adjourned to today.

16.     The counsel for the plaintiff has today turned turtle and states that she

does not want to withdraw the suit and has argued (a) that while the earlier

suit was with respect to portion of the property only, the present suit is for

the entire property; (b) has relied on (i) Bapusaheb Chimasaheb Naik-

Nimbalkar Vs. Mahesh Vijaysinha Rajebhosale (2017) 7 SCC 769; (ii)

Rathnavathi Vs. Kavita Ganashamdas (2015) 5 SCC 223; (iii) Inbasagaran

Vs. S. Natarajan (2015) 11 SCC 12; (iv) Virgo Industries (Eng.) Pvt. Ltd.

Vs. Venturetech Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (2013) 1 SCC 625; (v) Alka Gupta Vs.

Narender Kumar Gupta AIR 2011 SC 9; (vi) Kunjan Nair Sivaraman Nair

Vs. Narayanan Nair (2004) 3 SCC 277; (vii) Bengal Waterproof Ltd. Vs.

Bombay Waterproof Manufacturing Company (1997) 1 SCC 99; and, (viii)

Gurbux Singh Vs. Bhooralal AIR 1964 SC 1810; and, (c) has contended


CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                  Page 7 of 20
 that the parties are family members and closely related and had earlier also

arrived at a settlement before the Mediation Cell of the District Court and

settlement will be more easily reached before this Court.

17.     I have perused the compilation of judgments aforesaid handed over by

counsel for the plaintiff and am still unable to find the present suit to be

maintainable.

18.     The plaintiff, along with the plaint in the present suit, is found to have

filed the plaint in the earlier suit now stated to be pending as Suit No.172/2016

of the Court of Civil Judge (Central), Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi. A perusal of

the said plaint shows the relief claimed therein of mandatory injunction, to be

with respect to the portions of the property in occupation of the defendants and

in particular from the portions shown in red colour in the site plan filed with

that plaint. The plaintiff has not filed before this Court the site plan filed

along with the previous suit. The plaintiff in the plaint in the present suit also

has not pleaded that the earlier suit is for a lesser portion of the property than

the portion qua which the present suit is being filed. It is not the plea that the

defendants, after institution of earlier suit, have occupied any other portions of

the property. I have hereinabove quoted the prayer in this suit and have also

recorded that the site plan with reference to which the prayer clause is worded,


CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                Page 8 of 20
 shows only one bedroom, WC and bath on ground floor and one bedroom, WC

and bath on first floor in red colour. Moreover, the prayer in the plaint in the

earlier suit is with reference to "premises in suit bearing No.J-53, Ashok

Vihar, Phase-I, Delhi-110052 and in particular from the portion which are

more fully shown bounded by red colour in the sit plan Annexure A thereto".

Thus, even if any other portion has been occupied by defendants, it is covered

by the said relief.   Even otherwise, if the defendants, after the institution of

the suit for mandatory injunction for removing them from the portion of the

property in occupation of the defendants at the time of institution of the suit

have occupied any other portions of the property also, the plaintiff in my view

cannot institute a separate suit therefor and has to amend the plaint to include

the additional portion also in the prayer paragraph in the suit.         Thus the

contention of the counsel for the plaintiff, of the present suit being for a

portion of the property different from the portion of the property for which the

earlier suit was filed, is without any pleadings or basis and appears to have

been taken off the cuff.

19.     Supreme Court, in Sant Lal Jain Vs. Avtar Singh 1985 (2) SCC 332

held that a plaintiff should not be denied relief of recovery of possession of

immovable property merely because he had couched the plaint in the form of a


CS(OS) No.272/2018                                               Page 9 of 20
 suit for mandatory injunction. It was held that in pursuance to a decree for

mandatory injunction, the plaintiff is entitled to recover possession of the

property. I may notice that the previous suit for the relief of mandatory

injunction between the parties is also of 1991 vintage and the plaintiff herein,

as successor-in-interest of his father Ram Saran Gupta, cannot also, after the

suit for mandatory injunction has remained pending for last nearly 27 years, be

told that he has adopted the wrong form in claiming the relief of mandatory

injunction. Dicta aforesaid of the Supreme Court in Sant Lal Jain (supra) was

followed in Joseph Severance Vs. Benny Mathew (2005) 7 SCC 667. Yet

again, in Maria Margarida Sequeira Fernandes Vs. Erasmo Jack De

Sequeira (2012) 5 SCC 370, it was held that a trespasser in settled possession

cannot be dispossessed without recourse to law i.e. by a suit for mandatory

injunction. A Division Bench of this Court in Prabhu Dayal Vs. Roop Kumar

AIR 2005 Del 144 also held a suit for mandatory injunction to recover

possession to be maintainable and directed that if the defendant inspite of

mandate did not forthwith deliver possession to the plaintiff, it will be open to

the plaintiff to execute the decree and obtain possession. Reference in this

regard may also be made to Satish Vs. Om Bati AIR 2017 Del 15 and Om

Prakash Singhal Vs. K.L. Kurian 2014 SCC OnLine Del 761.


CS(OS) No.272/2018                                               Page 10 of 20
 20.     The plaintiff, along with the plaint, has also filed a copy of the

proceedings dated 16th November, 2016 of the Mediation Centre, Tis Hazari

Courts, Delhi recording the settlement arrived at in the previous suit and in

the Counter Claim thereto, as under:

        "In the matter of:
        (i)     Civil Suit No.172/2016 titled as Ram Saran Gupta vs. Bharat
                Gupt & Anr.
        (ii)    Counter Claim No.362/2016 titled as Bharat Gupt Vs. Ram
                Saran Gupta
        (iii)   M.No.41/2016 titled as Bharat Gupt Vs. Ram Saran Gupta

        All the matters have been referred by the court of Sh. Harun Pratap,
        Civil Judge-04, Central, Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi

        11.11.2016

        Present:       Sh. Chandra Gupt, LR of the plaintiff for himself as
                       well as on behalf of his mother Smt. Shakuntla Devi
                       and sister Smt. Mridula Garg, being Power of
                       Attorney Holder (both being legal heirs of Late Sh.
                       Ram Saran Gupta) along with Sh. V.K. Sidharthan,
                       Advocate.
                       Sh. Bharat Gupt, defendant no.1 in person as well as
                       on behalf of defendant no.2 along with Sh. Sundaram,
                       Advocate.

               The above noted cases are in relation to the family dispute
        have been referred by the Court of Sh. Harun Pratap, Civil Judge-04,
        Central, Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi and assigned to me for mediation.
        Process of mediation explained to the parties. Single and joint
        sessions were held.
               After due discussions, both parties have agreed to settle their
        disputes in full and final on the following terms and conditions:-
                1. It is agreed between the parties that the defendant no.1
                   shall vacate the portion in issue of the premises bearing
                   no.J-53, Ashok Vihar, Phase-I, Delhi-110052 and in lieu
                   of the same, the legal heirs of the plaintiff have agreed to
                   pay a total sum of Rs.2.2 crores to the defendants.

CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                           Page 11 of 20
                 2. It is further agreed that the above said payment shall be
                   paid by the legal heirs of the plaintiffs to the defendants
                   on or before seven months from today i.e. (11th June,
                   2017).
                3. It is further agreed between the parties that the afore-said
                   amount of Rs.2.2 crores shall be given a banker‟s cheque
                   /demand draft before the Hon‟ble referral court and at the
                   same time, the defendants shall hand over the keys of the
                   vacant portion which is under their possession in respect
                   of the premises bearing no.J-53, Ashok Vihar, Phase-I,
                   Delhi-110052. Along with that the defendants shall issue
                   a handing over possession letter to the plaintiffs and the
                   plaintiffs shall issue a taking over possession to the
                   defendants.
                4. It is further agreed that the plaintiffs as well as the
                   defendants are having a joint property bearing no.B6/16,
                   Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi-110029 which they both
                   have agreed to dispose off / sell the same as the whole of
                   the property on or before 11.06.2017 for which both the
                   parties shall cooperate with each other in doing the
                   needful.
                5. It is further agreed that after the afore-said terms get
                   satisfied, both the parties shall withdraw their respective
                   suits as no claim would be left over between the parties
                   against each other.
                6. It is further agreed between the parties that they shall not
                   initiate any further complaint or legal proceedings against
                   each other in respect of the premises in question.
                This settlement has been voluntarily arrived at between the
        parties with their own free will and without any force, pressure or
        coercion and both the parties are bound by the terms and conditions
        mentioned herein above. The contents of the settlement have been
        explained to the parties in vernacular and they have understood the
        same and have admitted the same to be correct.

              Sd/-                                      Sd/-
        (Chandra Gupt)                              (Bharat Gupt)
        LR of the plaintiff for himself       Defendant no.1 for himself
        as well as on behalf of his           and on behalf of defendant no.2
        mother Smt. Shakuntla Devi
        and sister Smt. Mridula Garg


CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                           Page 12 of 20
                Sd/-                                    Sd/-
        (V.K. Sidharthan)                         (Sundaram)
        Advocate for the plaintiff          Advocate for the defendants

               Parties are directed to appear before the court concerned on
        16.11.2016 i.e. the date already fixed, for making their respective
        statements.


                                             Sd/-
                                        (Rajiv Thukral)
                                     Mediator, Mediation Centre
                                     Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi/11.11.2016

                                                        [Emphasis added]"
21.     As would be evident from the above, the defendants under the

aforesaid settlement have agreed to deliver vacant possession of portion

under their possession in the property to the plaintiff against receipt of Rs.2.2

crores. I may highlight that the defendant has in the settlement agreed to

deliver possession of whatsoever portion may be in his possession and not

with reference to any particular portion of the property. I fail to see as to

what remains now for the plaintiff to fight this suit.

22.     Though the plaintiff has not filed before this Court the orders of the

Court in which the suit was pending after the date when settlement was so

reached before the Mediation Centre of the District Court but the position in

law does not admit of any ambiguity. This Court in Surinder Kaur Vs.

Pritam Singh (2008) 154 DLT 598 has held (i) by amendment of the year

2002 to the CPC, Section 89 provides for settlement of dispute outside

CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                         Page 13 of 20
 Court; (ii) that Section 89(2) mandates the Court to effect a compromise

between the parties where the matter has been referred to mediation and has

been compromised; and, (iii) once the matter has been compromised as per

terms contained in the settlement before the Mediator and of which the

Mediator has sent a report, decree in terms thereof is to be passed. Yet

again, the Division Bench of this Court in Naresh Kumar Vs. Ashok Arora

MANU/DE/9778/2007 held (a) if settlement is arrived at before the

mediator, one cannot back out; (b) if such an attempt is permitted, it would

negate the very purpose for which Section 89 has been inserted by the

Parliament by way of amendment to the CPC; (c) if the Courts were to start

entertaining pleas to back out of the settlement arrived at before the

Mediation Cell in terms of Rules 24 & 25 of the Mediation and Conciliation

Rules, 2004, the sanctity and purpose of amicable settlement between the

parties would stand totally eroded; (d) amicable resolution of disputes and

negotiated settlement is public policy in India; (e) Section 89 of the CPC,

Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996 as well as Legal Services Authorities

Act, 1995 call upon the Court to encourage settlement of legal dispute

through negotiations between the parties; (f) if amicable settlements are

discarded and rejected on flimsy pleas, the parties would be wary of


CS(OS) No.272/2018                                             Page 14 of 20
 entering into negotiated settlement and making payment thereunder as a

shrewd party, after entering into negotiated settlement, may take the amount

received under it and thereafter challenge the settlement and re-agitate the

dispute causing immeasurable loss and harassment to the party making

payment thereunder; and, (g) this tendency has to be checked and such

litigants discouraged by the Courts.

23.     It is thus inexplicable as to why the plaintiff, who has already been

substituted in place of his father in the previous suit, instead of seeking a

decree in terms of the settlement aforesaid arrived at, is choosing to file this

fresh suit.

24.     It appears that the plaintiff is not satisfied with the litigation in the

previous suit stated to be pending since the year 1991 and when the said

litigation has culminated, instead of enforcing the settlement having force of

decree therein, desires to file a fresh suit and to keep it pending for a few

more decades. This is a classic case of a person approaching the Court,

instead of being interested in the relief, being only interested in remaining

before the Court.

25.     Else, it was held in K.K. Modi Vs. K.N. Modi 1998 3 SCC OnLine 573

that one example of abuse of process of the Court is re-litigation; it is an


CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                 Page 15 of 20
 abuse of the process of the Court and contrary to justice and public policy for

a party to re-litigate the same issue which has already been tried and decided

earlier against him; re-agitation may or may not be barred as res judicata;

but if the same issue is sought to be re-agitated, it also amounts to an abuse

of the process of the Court; a proceeding filed for a collateral purpose

amounts to abuse of the process of the Court and the Court has the power to

stop such proceedings summarily and prevent the time of the public and the

Court from being wasted. Reference may also be made to Mother Teresa

Institute of Management Vs. Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University

2014 SCC OnLine Del 1847, S.K. Sehgal Vs. Delhi Administration (2016)

229 DLT 261 and Bimla Devi Vs. Laxmi 2017 SCC OnLine Del 11727.

26.     As far as the judgments referred to by the counsel for the plaintiff are

concerned:

         A.     In Bapusaheb Chimasaheb Naik-Nimbalkar supra, Order II

                Rule 2 of the CPC was held to be not attracted because the cause

                of action in the former suit was found to be different from that

                in the latter suit. The property subject matter of the latter suit

                was not found to be included in the earlier suit.




CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                  Page 16 of 20
          B.     In Rathnavathi supra also, Order II Rule 2 of the CPC was held

                to be not attracted because while the first suit was for permanent

                injunction restraining forcible dispossession, the second suit was

                for specific performance of the Agreement to Sell. Hence, the

                cause of action in the two suits was held to be different.

         C.     In Inbasagaran supra also, the former suit was for permanent

                injunction   restraining    interference    with   possession           and

                enjoyment of the property and the second suit was for specific

                performance of the agreement of sale and which two causes of

                action were held to be different.

         D.     In Virgo Industries (Eng.) Pvt. Ltd. supra, the former suit was

                for   permanent       injunction    restraining     alienation          and

                encumbrance of the properties which were subject matter of

                Agreement to Sell and the second suit was for specific

                performance of the Agreement to Sell. The second suit was

                held to be barred under Order II Rule 2 of the CPC holding that

                the cause of action for the relief of specific performance had

                accrued on the date of institution of the first suit.




CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                      Page 17 of 20
          E.     In Alka Gupta supra, it was held that in the absence of a plea

                and an issue thereon and evidence of pleadings in the earlier

                suit, the suit could not have been dismissed as barred by Order

                II Rule 2 of the CPC.       The counsel for the plaintiff drew

                attention to para no.19 of the judgment holding that where

                summons have been issued and the suit is listed for

                consideration of a preliminary issue, the Court cannot make a

                roving enquiry into the alleged conduct of the plaintiff and the

                suit cannot be short circuited by deciding issue of fact merely on

                pleadings and documents without trial.

         F.     In Kunjan Nair Sivaraman Nair supra also, Order II Rule 2 of

                the CPC was held to be not attracted because the first suit was

                for mere title and injunction and the second suit was for

                recovery of possession and mesne profits on the strength of title.

         G.     In Bengal Waterproof Ltd. supra, it was held that the plea of

                Order II Rule 2 of the CPC could be adjudicated only if the

                defendants file in evidence the pleadings in the previous suit.

                On facts, the second suit was held to be not barred owing to the

                cause of action being a recurring one.


CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                  Page 18 of 20
          H.     Lastly, in Gurbux Singh supra also it was held that for

                adjudication of plea of Order II Rule 2, evidence of pleadings in

                the earlier suit is necessary.

27.     As would be obvious from the above, in the aforesaid judgments,

either on facts the causes of action in the former suit and in the latter suit

were held to be different or it was held that for dismissal of a suit as barred

by Order II Rule 2 of the CPC, pleadings in the earlier suit before the Court

is essential.        The counsel for the plaintiff however argued that without

putting the suit to trial, it cannot be dismissed as barred by Order II Rule 2 of

the CPC.

28.     Merely because in some of the judgments, on a finding of fact, Order

II Rule 2 of the CPC has been held to be not attracted would not mean that

even where the causes of action are the same, the said plea is not available.

In the facts of the present case, it has been found that not only was the

former suit for the same relief as the present suit, but also that a mediated

settlement akin to a decree has already been arrived at therein and

whereunder the plaintiff is entitled to recover possession. However the

plaintiff, instead of wanting to recover possession, notwithstanding having

pursued the earlier suit for 27 years, wants to start another cycle of 27 years


CS(OS) No.272/2018                                                 Page 19 of 20
 and for which the counsel for the plaintiff has no explanation. Malice of re-

litigation is writ large. What surprises me more is that it is at the instance of

a successful plaintiff when normally such attempt is made by an

unsuccessful plaintiff or an unsuccessful defendant. As far as the contention

of the counsel for the plaintiff and reliance on paragraph aforesaid of Alka

Gupta is concerned, here, when on the basis of averments in the plaint and

the copies of the pleadings in the earlier suit filed by the plaintiff himself

before this Court, it is clear that the present suit is barred by way of re-

litigation, the insistence of the counsel for the plaintiff, to instead of giving

reasons for wanting to re-litigate, somehow or the other have the suit put to

trial, is also inexplicable. This Court would not allow its time to be abused

by a plaintiff who has already got the relief sought, in an earlier litigation.

29.     Thus, suit as aforesaid is found to be by way of re-litigation and is

dismissed at the threshold.

30.     I however refrain from imposing any costs.

         Decree sheet be drawn up.



                                                 RAJIV SAHAI ENDLAW, J.

MAY 31, 2018 „gsr‟..

(corrected & released on 11th June, 2018) CS(OS) No.272/2018 Page 20 of 20