High Court Kerala High Court

K. Devanand Rao vs Rajeswari on 2 January, 2007

Kerala High Court
K. Devanand Rao vs Rajeswari on 2 January, 2007
       

  

  

 
 
  IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM

RCRev No. 451 of 2006()


1. K. DEVANAND RAO, AGED 46,
                      ...  Petitioner
2. K.P. USMAN KOYA, AGED 37,
3. P.K. AMEERALI, AGED  33,

                        Vs



1. RAJESWARI, AGED 43,
                       ...       Respondent

                For Petitioner  :SRI.C.P.MOHAMMED NIAS

                For Respondent  :SMT.PRABHA R.MENON

The Hon'ble MR. Justice K.A.ABDUL GAFOOR
The Hon'ble MR. Justice K.R.UDAYABHANU

 Dated :02/01/2007

 O R D E R
                          K.A.ABDUL GAFOOR &

                          K.R. UDAYABHANU, JJ.

           ==============================

                          R.C.R.NO.451  OF 2006

             ============================


         DATED THIS THE 2ND DAY OF JANUARY   2007


                                     ORDER

Udayabhanu,J.

The revision petitioners are the tenants who are under

orders of eviction as per the concurrent findings of the courts

below on the application filed by the landlord under Section 11(4)

(i)of the Kerala Buildings Lease & Rent Control Act. It is the case

of the petitioners that the first petitioner, who is the original

lessee, is in legal possession of the premises and that the

alleged sub-letting stands not proved.

2. On a perusal of the orders of the courts below, we find

that the respondent/landlord has completely succeeded in

piercing the veil of the alleged partnership, although the

partnership deed is a registered one. It was found on evidence

in the cross examination of respondents 1 and 2, i.e. the first

respondent, the original lessee, and the third respondent, who

RCR.451/2006 -2-

was made a partner as per the partnership deed subsequently

executed, that virtually the first respondent has no role at all in

the business conducted in the premises. Moreover he is not even

aware of any of the details of the business activities conducted in

the premises; he is not aware of the only staff employee in the

business; he is not aware of whether the firm is assessed to

income-tax and he has not seen the accounts maintained. The

third respondent who was examined as RW2, who is a relative of

the 2nd respondent, is not aware of the investment made in the

business. It was found that almost the entire profits as per the

terms of the partnership deed will go to the 2nd respondent. No

account books to prove the investment or disbursement of profits

were produced. The courts below concurrently found that the

partnership deed registered is only to camouflage the sub-lease.

On facts, we find that the findings of the courts below are

impenetrable. There is no reason to interfere in the findings of

the courts below. The rent control revision is liable to be

dismissed at the threshold and we do so.

Considering the plea of the counsel for the revision

petitioners, the petitioners are granted four months time from

RCR.451/2006 -3-

today onwards to vacate the premises on condition that they

shall remit the entire arrears of rent, if any, and continue to

remit the rent due and file an affidavit before the execution

court within 15 days from today that the premises shall be

vacated on or before 2-5-2007.

Sd/-

K.A.ABDUL GAFOOR

JUDGE

Sd/-

ks.                                               K.R.UDAYABHANU,

                                                         JUDGE

                            TRUE COPY


                            P.S.TO JUDGE