IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE K.M.JOSEPH FRIDAY, THE 1ST FEBRUARY 2008 / 12TH MAGHA 1929 WP(C).No. 19119 of 2007(A) ---------------------------------------- PETITIONER: ------------------- THE KOTTAYAM DISTRICT CO-OPERATIVE BANK LTD., KOTTAYAM, REPRESENTED BY THE GENERAL MANAGER. BY ADV. SRI.GEORGE POONTHOTTAM SRI.T.R. RAVI RESPONDENTS: ------------------------- 1. P.S.MOHANAN NAIR, S/O SANKARAN NAIR, CHILANKA HOUSE, PONKUNNAM, KOTTAYAM DISTRICT. 2. ELAMGULAM SERVICE CO-OPERATIVE BANK LTD. NO.3576, KOORALI P.O., PIN 686522, REPRESENTED BY ITS ADMINISTRATOR. 3. A.N.RAMAKRISHNAN NAIR, SREESYLAM, PONKUNNAM, KOTTAYAM. 4. K.J.VIJAYAMMA, SREESYLAM, PONKUNNAM, KOTTAYAM. 5. VIJAYAMOHAN, SREESYLAM, PONKUNNAM, KOTTAYAM. 6. SURESHKUMAR, SREESYLAM, PONKUNNAM, KOTTAYAM. 7. THE SECRETARY, ELAMGULAM SERVICE CO-OPERATIVE BANK LTD., KOORALI. 8. THE KERALA CO-OPERATIVE TRIBUNAL, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. BY GOVERNMENT PLEADER SMT. ANU SIVARAMAN R1 BY ADV. SRI.BECHU KURIAN THOMAS THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 05/10/2007 ALONG WITH WPC.NO.20065 OF 2007, THE COURT ON 01/02/2008 DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: Kss WPC.NO.19119/2007 A APPENDIX PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS: EXT.P1: COPY OF THE A.R.C.NO.12/1999 FILED BEFORE THE JOINT REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, KOTTAYAM. EXT.P2: COPY OF THE APPEAL A.P.NO.32/2001 FILED BEFORE THE 8TH RESPONDENT. EXT.P3: COPY OF THE JUDGMENT IN A.P.32/2001 DTD. 26/11/2001. EXT.P4: COPY OF THE JUDGMENT IN W.A.NO.1260/2003 DTD.5/04/2006. EXT.P5: COPY OF THE LETTER DTD. 16/05/1998. EXT.P6: COPY OF THE LETTER DTD. 27/05/1998. EXT.P7: COPY OF THE CERTIFICATE DTD. 1/06/1998. EXT.P8: COPY OF THE WRITTEN STATEMENT FILED BEFORE THE TRIBUNAL 21/04/2007. EXT.P9: COPY OF THE JUDGMENT IN A.P.NO.32/1991 DTD. 31/05/2007. EXT.P10: COPY OF THE COMMUNICATION DTD. 18/06/2007. EXT.P11: COPY OF THE EXTRACT OF SB ACCOUNT LEDGER OF P.S.MOHANAN IN THE 2ND RESPONDENT BANK. EXT.P12: COPY OF THE STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS OF CC ACCOUNT NO. 1276 OF SRI.P.S.MOHANAN NAIR ISSUED BY THE LORD KRISHNA BANK, KOTTAYAM BRANCH DTD. 13/05/2000. EXT.P13: COPY OF THE EXTRACT OF CASH CREDIT ACCOUNT OF P.S.MOHANAN IN THE 2ND RESPONDENT BANK. EXT.P14: COPY OF THE ARGUMENT NOTE FILED BEFORE THE CO-OPERATIVE TRIBUNAL. EXT.P15: COPY OF THE REPLICATION FILED IN A.R.C.NO.12 OF 1999. 1ST RESPONDENT'S EXHIBIT: EXT.R1(A): COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DTD. 27/05/03 IN O.P.1105/2002 BEFORE THE LEARNED SINGLE JUDGE OF THIS HON'BLE COURT. /TRUE COPY/ P.S.TO JUDGE Kss K. M. JOSEPH, J. -------------------------------------- W.P.C. NOS. 19119/07 A & 20065 OF 2007 L -------------------------------------- Dated this the 1st February, 2008 JUDGMENT Both these cases being connected, they are disposed of by a common Judgment. 2. Petitioner in W.P.(C). No.19119/07 is the Kottayam District Co-operative Bank Ltd. The prayer in the Writ Petition is to quash Exts.P9 and P10, to declare that the second respondent is not liable to pay any amount to the first respondent, and to direct the second respondent not to pay any amount to the first respondent by way of complying with the directions of the Tribunal in Ext.P9. Ext.P9 is a Judgment passed by the Kerala Co-operative Tribunal, Thiruvananthapuram, allowing the Appeal filed by the first respondent and passing an Award against the second respondent and allowing the money claims raised by the first respondent against the second respondent. Ext.P10 is a consequential WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 2 decision taken by the Administrator-In-Charge of the second respondent to the Secretary of the second respondent to comply with the directions contained in Ext.P9. 3. Petitioners in W.P.(C) No.20065/07 also challenge the very same decision of the Co-operative Tribunal which is marked as Ext.P5. 4. I shall refer to the case as pleaded in W.P.(C). No.19119/07: The petitioner is a Central Society. The second respondent is the Elamgulam Service Co-operative Bank Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as the second respondent). According to petitioner, the petitioner is a Central Society with Primary Societies as its Members and the second respondent is such a Member affiliated to the petitioner. There was large scale swindling of the depositors' fund deposited in the second respondent. The elected Committee came to be superseded and an Administrator was appointed. In order to meet the demands of the depositors for repayment, the petitioner Bank had made substantial advance WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 3 to the second respondent. It is stated that an amount of Rs.24 Crores is outstanding, and an employee of the petitioner Bank is appointed as Secretary of the second respondent with the consent of the Registrar. It is stated that there was a Vigilance Enquiry against the previous Managing Committee and some employees for misappropriation. It is the case of the petitioner that though the first respondent had accounts with the second respondent, that had been closed. However, the first respondent filed Ext.P1 Arbitration Case, claiming Rs.40,80,000/= with interest. The Arbitrator rejected the claim. Thereupon, an Appeal was filed as Ext.P2. The Appeal came to be allowed by the Tribunal vide Ext.P3 Judgment, which in turn was challenged by the second respondent before this Court. The Writ Petition was dismissed by a learned Single Judge, against which Writ Appeal No.1260/03 was carried by the second respondent. It is stated that thereafter the petitioner was compelled to file an Application to get the petitioner Bank impleaded and that it was impleaded. It is stated that the Appeal WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 4 was heard after impleading and by Ext.P4 Judgment, the Division Bench found that the matter requires re-consideration by the Tribunal. Petitioner Bank had filed a Writ Petition for directing the Tribunal to pass orders on the impleading application filed by the petitioner Bank. The Tribunal allowed the application to implead. Thereafter, petitioner filed Ext.P8 Written Statement. It is thereafter that the Tribunal has proceeded to pass Ext.P9 Judgment, allowing the claim raised by the first respondent, as already noted. 5. Petitioners in W.P.(C) No.20065/07 are stated to be Members of the Elamgulam Service Co-operative Bank. According to them, the Administrator appointed for the Bank has not taken any steps to challenge the order of the Tribunal by which the Service Co-operative Bank has been directed to pay the sum under the impugned award passed by the Tribunal. 6. I heard the learned counsel appearing for the parties. 7. The claim raised by the first respondent was originally allowed by the Tribunal. In order to appreciate the contentions WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 5 raised, it is necessary to briefly consider the case of the first respondent before the Arbitrator. It is, briefly, set up as hereunder: The first respondent had made Fixed Deposits of an amount of Rs. 80,000/= on 18.11.1996 and a further sum of Rs.40,00,000/= on 29.3.1997 with the second respondent. The first respondent was having loan transaction with the Lord Krishna Bank, Kottayam. For discharging the liability to the Lord Krishna Bank, he surrendered with the said Bank the Fixed Deposit Receipt for Rs.40 Lakhs on 27.8.1997 with proper discharge endorsements thereon and with the request letter for forwarding it to the second respondent for collection. Despite presentation of the FD Receipt, the second respondent did not make payment, but kept on requesting for time to make the payment. Since the Lord Krishna Bank, Kottayam could not realise the amount, the Lord Krishna Bank returned the FD Receipt to the first respondent. Thereafter, the first respondent surrendered the Receipts with the second respondent for clearing WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 6 payment, but the second respondent kept, taking time for payment of the amounts on the pretext that certain internal audit works were to be completed. In the meantime, an Administrator had to be appointed, in view of the grave allegation of financial irregularities and mismanagement. When the first respondent made enquiries, it was realised that the amounts due to him were unauthorisedly set off against the loan transaction of some third parties without his knowledge and consent. He made request for a Certificate. He came to know that the amounts were adjusted against the loan accounts due from respondents 3 to 6. According to him, he had not made any request for or availed any loan amount from the second respondent. It was for the sake of convenience, as Lord Krishna Bank did not have any Branch at Ponkunnam for availing the loan from the loan account of the Lord Krishna Bank, that the amounts there, were credited to the account of the first respondent with the second respondent. It is stated that the amounts due to the first respondent were illegally adjusted by WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 7 the second respondent. It is on these allegations that the first respondent lodged the claim. 8. Respondents 3 to 6 in this Writ Petition who were defendants 2 to 5 in the Arbitration Case, filed a joint Written Statement. They contended, inter alia, as follows: They have got 40 cents of land and a building therein, having an extent of 9000 Sq. Ft. at Ponkunnam town. They were conducting business. The first respondent was constructing a commercial building in the same town. He purchased building materials from them on credit. An amount of Rs.1,25,826/= was due to them from him. They had availed cash credit loan from the second respondent. The first respondent was a close friend of the third respondent. He was aware of the loan availed by them. There was some scuffle in 1997 in the functioning of the second respondent. An Administrator took charge. First respondent apprehended that the second respondent may face liquidation. He approached the third respondent to offer to purchase the property and building WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 8 belonging to them. There were negotiations and they agreed to sell the property and building to the first respondent for a sum of Rs.1,25,00,000/=. There was an oral agreement entered into on 15.9.1997 for the sale of the property, within one year. First respondent told that he has got money in the second respondent Bank and the loan transaction of respondents 3 to 6 would be closed by paying the amount, and that could be treated as an advance in the purchase price. Respondents agreed to the said course suggested by the first respondent due to the pressure of one of the mediators, namely Shri K.J. Thomas, Ex MLA. They met the Bank Authorities and expressed their intention. Then, the Secretary did not accept the said course. However, by exerting pressure from top level, the Secretary agreed to the said course. Thus, an amount of Rs.29,72,345/= was paid on 8.10.1997 from the Fixed Deposit Amount of the first respondent to the cash credit loan account of respondents 3 to 6. Another amount of Rs.13,20,747/= was paid to the cash credit loan account of the first respondent himself. According to them, WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 9 from Rs.29,71,836/= an amount of Rs.1,26,826/= was to be deducted as the amount due from the first respondent. According to them, the adjustment was made with the consent of the first respondent and in the presence of the first respondent. It is stated that they were willing to execute the sale deed for the performance of the oral agreement. 9. The Secretary of the second respondent Bank also filed a Statement essentially on the same lines. There is reference to a cash credit loan account No.231 availed by the first respondent. It is stated that an amount of Rs.13,20,747/= was outstanding in that account as on 8.10.1997. It is their case that the FD Receipt sent through the Lord Krishna Bank was returned as the first respondent had huge outstandings in his loan account with the second respondent Bank. Thereafter, the first respondent approached the second respondent with the third respondent and requested to adjust the amount, on the basis of the real estate transaction. 10. The first respondent filed a Replication, inter alia, WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 10 contending that he had not availed any loan or cash credit from the second respondent. He denied the case set up by respondents 3 to 6 that there was a contract for sale of the property. The Arbitrator did not find favour with the case of the first respondent. The Tribunal by Ext.P3, however, proceeded to allow the Appeal. The Division Bench of this Court, however, proceeded to interfere with Ext.P3 Award passed by the Tribunal. In the course of the finding, the Court held as follows: "The fact that petitioner has deposited the amount after withdrawing the amount from Vijaya Bank is not disputed. It is also an admitted case that at the time of arbitration, most of the documents were not available. With regard to the cheque for Rs.13,20,247/=, now cheques were found out. Cheques were shown to us as well as counsel for the first respondent. Records taken by the Vigilance was also produced by the Government Pleader. First respondent was allowed to peruse the documents. According to the first respondent, those cheques were issued WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 11 not for the loan account maintained in the bank, but, to pay off the transferred loan of Vijaya Bank. Considering the question involved and considering the fact that the documents are available now, we are of the opinion that the matter should be remanded to the Tribunal for proper appreciation of the matter. Fixed Deposit by the first respondent is not disputed. But, whether it was adjusted at the request of the first respondent and whether at least Rs.13,20,747/= the cheque was adjusted towards the loan account of the first respondent and other questions raised in the writ petition can be looked into by a fact finding authority. In the above circumstances, we set aside judgment of the learned single Judge and Ext.P7 Judgment of the Co-operative Tribunal and remand the matter. Both parties are allowed to file documentary evidence and adduce evidence before the Co-operative Tribunal and the Tribunal may pass fresh orders with notice to the parties as expeditiously as possible, in any event, within three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this Judgment." WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 12 11. Shri George Poonthottam, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would contend that the impugned order of the Tribunal is illegal. According to him, it is issued on a total misreading of the evidence on record. The Tribunal did not consider the documentary evidence, it is submitted. It is pointed out by him that the first respondent had addressed Ext.P5 dated 16.5.1998 to the Administrator of the second respondent Bank. Therein, the first respondent has stated as follows: " WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 13 He would submit that Ext.P6 dated 27.5.1998 was issued by the first respondent to the Administrator of the second respondent Bank. Therein, it was stated as follows: WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 14 WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 15 He then referred me to Ext.P7 Certificate issued by the second respondent on 1.6.1998. Therein, it is certified that the Fixed Deposits of Rs.40 Lakhs dated 29.3.1997 and Rs.80,000/= dated 18.11.1996 by the first respondent were transferred and set off to the various loan accounts shown therein as per his request dated 8.10.1997. An amount of Rs.13,20,747/= is seen set off against the cash credit account No.231 of the first respondent himself. Further amounts are shown as set off against the cash credit accounts and O.F.5125 of respondents 3 to 6. Thus, the total amount shown as set off is Rs.42,93,092/=. It is finally WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 16 stated in Ext.P7 Certificate by the second respondent that the Certificate was issued for the purpose of producing before the Income Tax Authority. Shri George Poonthottam, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner contended that the FD Receipts were handed over to the Lord Krishna Bank in the year 1997 and he would contend that the evidence would show that the first respondent was aware that the amounts due to him were set off some time in 1997 itself. He pointed out that the Arbitration Case itself was filed after a long delay, thus again probabilising the fact that the first respondent consented to set off the amounts due to him. 12. It is, therefore, contended by Shri George Poonthottam that going by the first respondent's own showing, the amounts claimed by him had been set off and these documents were not considered by the Tribunal. Petitioner would rely on Ext.P11 ledger maintained by the first respondent with the second respondent. It is his case that as on 10.4.1996, an amount of Rs.1,99,979.29 was the balance outstanding. It is stated that an WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 17 amount of Rs.4,50,100/= was transferred from the C.C. Account No.231 of the first respondent and the amount in the S.B. Account thereafter was Rs.6,50,079.29. The first respondent issued cheque for Rs.6,50,000/= in favour of one Shri Prasanth Krishnan on 10.4.1996 as per Cheque No.71763 and these facts were also available from Exts.B25 and B25A. He refers to various other transactions at the instance of the first respondent. Ext.P12 is produced as the Statement of Cash Credit Account No.1276 of the first respondent issued by the Lord Krishna Bank, Kottayam Branch. Ext.P13 is produced which was produced as Ext.B23 before the Arbitrator was also relied on by the petitioner, wherein the petitioner points out that an amount of Rs. 3,553/= was given as cheque to the New India Insurance Company and an amount of Rs.1,163/= was given towards Agricultural Income Tax. Ext.P14 is produced as the Argument Note which, according to petitioner, did not receive any consideration. It is pointed out that there is no consideration of the contentions raised by the petitioner. Ext.P15 is the WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 18 Replication filed by the first respondent. 13. The first respondent has filed a Counter Affidavit, denying the allegations. It is stated that the matter was fully considered by the Tribunal after remand. Ext.R1(a) is the Judgment of the learned Single Judge in the Writ Petition. 14. It is contended by the petitioner that it is clear that the first respondent had indeed availed loan from the second respondent and he had availed the benefit of the loan. Petitioner would submit that there was clear evidence including the testimony of the first respondent. It would clearly show that the first respondent had availed loan from the second respondent and there were huge amounts outstanding and the findings of the Tribunal require to be interfered with. Shri T. Krishnanunni, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners in the other Writ Petition also contended that the order of the Tribunal requires to be interfered with. 15. Shri Bechu Kurian Thomas, learned counsel appearing for the first respondent, on the other hand, contended that this WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 19 Court is being called upon to interfere with the Judgment of the Tribunal in the exercise of the powers of judicial review and absolutely no ground exists in this case to do so. He would point out that this is a case where the first respondent had admittedly made deposits and the only case set up by the petitioner Bank and the other defendants was a case of set off of the amounts due under the Fixed Deposit under the two heads, namely that there was real estate transaction between the first respondent and respondents 3 to 6 and the first respondent had availed loan from the second respondent and the amounts remained outstanding therein and it was set off. He would submit that as regards the first ground, it is clear that there was no acceptable material which would show that there was any contract between the first respondent and respondents 3 to 6. He points out that Shri K.J. Thomas, the alleged mediator at whose instance the alleged agreement was entered into, was not even examined. What was involved is the appreciation of the oral evidence. Admittedly, there is no document. In such a WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 20 situation, the Appellate Tribunal has appreciated the evidence and come to the conclusion that the defendants have not proved their case, he contends. It is not open to this Court to interfere with the award in the exercise of the powers of judicial review. He would submit that, in fact, the first respondent was a victim. As regards the second point, he would submit that this is a case where the first respondent had availed loan from Lord Krishna Bank and only for convenience sake, as the Lord Krishna Bank did not have Branch at Ponkunnam the amount disbursed by the Lord Krishna Bank as loan was routed through the second respondent. He reiterated that as correctly found by the Tribunal, the first respondent had not availed any loan facility from the second respondent and, therefore, the question of any adjustment was clearly baseless. He also cited certain decisions in support of his contentions: 16. In Indian Overseas Bank v. I.O.B. Staff Canteen Workers' Union and another ((2000) 4 SCC 245), the Apex Court held that interference under Article 226 with pure findings WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 21 of fact and re-appreciation of evidence was impermissible. It was held that insufficiency of evidence or the fact that another view was possible, was not a ground to interfere with the findings of an Industrial Tribunal. It was held that the Writ Court does not exercise appellate jurisdiction under Article 226. He would further submit that the second respondent which has been directed to pay the amount, has not challenged the award and it is not open to the writ petitioners in these cases to challenge the award. 17. The Tribunal found that there was absolutely no evidence to show that there was any agreement for sale of any property between the first respondent and third respondent. It noted that Shri K.J. Thomas, Ex MLA, was not examined. The fact that there was no documentation of the agreement even though the amount of consideration was huge, apparently had weighed with the Tribunal. I do not think that the petitioners have made out a case under Article 226 to interfere with the finding that the case of real estate transaction is unbelievable is WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 22 liable to be interfered. Absolutely, no ground exists to find that the finding that the oral agreement pleaded by respondents 3 to 6 is not proved, is in any way perverse or without considering the evidence on record. Therefore, I confirm the finding of the Tribunal that the defendants have failed to prove that there was an agreement by the first respondent to purchase the property of the third respondent. 18. The Tribunal found that the first respondent was able to explain the context in which he gave Exts. P5 and P6 requests. It is found by the Tribunal that Exts.P5 and P6 would go to show that he was not aware of the adjustments and the names as the amounts were unknown to him. It is found that it is unbelievable that a person would have consented for such an agreement without knowing the exact amount to be adjusted in such a situation. It is found by the Tribunal that it is only natural that a person, who happened to know from the Bank employees that too unofficially, that the with F.D. amounts were illegally adjusted towards the loan account of third parties, WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 23 will make every endeavour to get an official clarification of such adjustments so as to enable him to take appropriate action in this regard. It is further found that the first respondent wanted to know the correct details officially before taking any action and for that purpose, he showed the willingness in the letters in the manner required by the second respondent. It is stated that upon Ext.P7 Certificate being given dated 1.6.1998, on 24.6.1998, the first respondent issued legal notice demanding the money. The Tribunal has, therefore, elaborately considered and given a finding regarding the explanation of the first respondent to Exts.P5 and P6 and found that no inference of consent can be drawn from those documents. 19. The Tribunal has dealt with Ext.P7 Certificate (marked as Ext.B6 before the Arbitrator) in regard to the amount of Rs.13,20,747/= said to be adjusted against the alleged cash credit account No.231 of the first respondent. Thereafter, the Tribunal has noted from the proved Affidavit of DW2 that they have produced 134 cheques of the first respondent to prove the WP(C) 19119/07A&20065/07L 24 withdrawal of a total sum of Rs.32,07,307/= under the Account. On the said basis, it is found by the Tribunal that the first respondent has withdrawn only a lesser amount than what was