Findings on title in a suit for injunction operates as res judicata in subsequent suits where title is in issue

Delhi High Court: A Single Judge Bench comprising of Valmiki Mehta, J. dismissed a regular first appeal filed under Section 96 CrPC, against the judgment of the trial court whereby appellant’s suit was rejected as barred by res judicata.

The suit for declaration, partition, possession and permanent injunction was filed by the appellant relating to the property purported to be received by him on the partition of the property after the death of his father. The respondents filed an application under Order VII Rule 11 CPC pleading that identical issue of ownership of the suit property had been raised and decided against the appellant in an earlier suit for injunction. The trial court held that the question of ownership of the suit property was directly in issue in the said injunction suit. The instant suit was rejected by the trial court as barred by res judicata. Aggrieved thus, the appellant was in appeal.

The High Court, in order to settle the issue, referred to various decisions of the Supreme Court and observed that once in a suit for injunction, title is in issue and decided, the said finding of the title will operate as res judicata in a subsequent suit where title is an issue. The Court was of the view that since the claim of ownership of appellant in the suit property was already decided against the appellant in the earlier suit, therefore, the trial court was justified in dismissing the present suit being barred by res judicata. In view of the discussion as mentioned hereinabove, the High Court held the appeal to be sans merit. The appeal was held to be an abuse of process of law and was dismissed with costs amounting to Rs 25000. [Randhir Singh v. Satish Kumar,2018 SCC OnLine Del 9879, dated 16-07-2018]