K.M.N.S.P. Nachiappa Chettiar (Dead) ... vs A.K.A. Ramachandra Reddiar And Ors. on 3 February, 1942
23 and 24 of 1938 preferred against the preliminary decree on questions determined in the suit. These two appeals were dismissed and the preliminary decree was confirmed on 3rd February, 1942. A.S. No. 295 of 1939 was allowed, the Court holding on the strength of a series of decisions, that the mortgagors being agriculturists even though the purchasers of portions of the hypotheca were non-agriculturists, the statutory reduction of the debt under the Act at the instance of the mortgagors enured to the benefit of such purchasers, not by virtue of any provisions of the Act, but under the general law. Vide Machiappa Chettiar v. Ramachandra Reddiar (1942) 1 M.L.J. 510. The liability of defendants 5to 8 also was thus reduced to the scaled down amount, namely, Rs. 36,000 and the preliminary decree was amended accordingly. The 13th defendant who is the appellant before us in C.M.A. No. 410 of 1944 did not make any application of his own for relief under the Act, although he was an agriculturist because, as he says, he was under the impression that he would have the benefit of the scaling down ordered at the instance of his vendor, the 9th defendant. After the reduction of the decree amount as a result of these applications, the final decree was passed on the 18th March, 1939. The final decree gave effect to the scaling down of the amount only so far as defendants 1 to 4 and 9 to 12 Were concerned as the appeal by defendants 5 to 8 was disposed of only on 3rd February, 1942. It is common ground that, consequent on the decision of this Court, the decree was further amended in respect of defendants 5 to 8 also. The 13th defendant and the 29th defendant who was brought on record as the legal representative of the 14th defendant subsequently filed an application (C.M.P. No. 4851 of 1942) in this Court in Appeal No. 24 of 1938 preferred against the preliminary decree and already disposed of as aforesaid, praying that this Court should " amend the decree herein by adding the words 'defendants 13 and 29' in paras. 1 and 2 of the decree of this Honourable Court, dated 3rd February, 1942." The Court rejected that application on the ground that it was" much too late to give effect to defendant 13's contentions now." Subsequently, the decree-holder initiated execution proceedings and in the course of such execution proceedings the scaled down amount, namely, Rs. 36,000 with subsequent interest and incidental charges was deposited in Court at the instance of the defendants 1 to 4 and others who had obtained relief under the Act, and satisfaction of the decree was entered so far as they were concerned. The 13th defendant then filed E. A. No. 91 of 1944 out of which C.M.A. No. 410 of 1944 arises for entering up satisfaction of the decree even as against himself on the ground that the mortgage debt being indivisible and having been discharged by the payment of the scaled down amount by the mortgagors, the whole debt was wiped out and the property purchased by him became automatically freed from the encumbrance. The 9th defendant applied in E.A. No. 104 of 1944 for a similar relief pointing out that in his sale to the 13th defendant there was an indemnity clause under which he was liable to make good to his vendee any loss which the latter might sustain by reason of the decree-holder enforcing his claim against the 13th defendant. The 9th defendant therefore prayed that the entire decree should be entered as satisfied by the payment into Court of the decree amount as scaled down.