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AMICUS AI
Citation Codes
Neutral Citations
2015 DHC 6500
Equivalent Citations
citation codes
Case Number
Advocates
Judges
Acts
  • SECTION 58 EVIDENCE ACT
  • 5.10.2010 provisions of Order 12 Rule 2-A, 3-A and 4 CPC
  • Order 12 Rule 6 CPC
  • Section 31 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872
  • Order 12 Rule 6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (CPC)
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Cites
Cited by
Citation Codes
Neutral Citations
2015 DHC 6500
Equivalent Citations
citation codes
Case Number
Advocates
Judges
Acts
  • SECTION 58 EVIDENCE ACT
  • 5.10.2010 provisions of Order 12 Rule 2-A, 3-A and 4 CPC
  • Order 12 Rule 6 CPC
  • Section 31 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872
  • Order 12 Rule 6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (CPC)
Smart Summary

Summary of Opinion: High Court of Delhi (Valmiki J. Mehta, J.) — 12 August 2015

Factual and Procedural Background

The plaintiff (Rahul Jain) instituted CS(OS) 623/2005 claiming recovery of Rs. 42,59,309 as commission allegedly due to him for marketing the defendant's product "Japan Life Total Sleeping System" in his capacity as a distributor. The plaintiff relied on a total of 11 TDS certificates said to have been issued by the defendant as evidencing the sums claimed. The defendant denied liability and, in its written statement, averred that the plaintiff (together with others) had embezzled funds amounting to Rs. 3,43,03,807, which, the defendant said, would operate as a set-off/adjustment against any amount otherwise payable. The defendant also relied on criminal proceedings (FIR No. 282 of 2003 at Sarojini Nagar Police Station) and alleged that the plaintiff had been terminated as an Independent Representative.

Issues were framed on 18.11.2010, including whether the plaintiff was appointed as distributor and whether he was entitled to any commission (issues 1 and 2). Evidence proceeded and the plaintiff was in the witness box and being cross-examined when the plaintiff filed an interlocutory application under Order 12 Rule 6 CPC seeking summary decree for recovery of the claimed amount.

Legal Issues Presented

  1. Whether the suit for recovery of money could be summarily decreed under Order 12 Rule 6 CPC on the basis of the TDS certificates (which the plaintiff contended were deemed admitted).
  2. Whether the defendant's pleaded defence of adjustment/set-off for amounts allegedly embezzled by the plaintiff prevents summary disposal under Order 12 Rule 6 CPC.

Arguments of the Parties

Plaintiff's Arguments

  • The amounts claimed correspond to 11 TDS certificates issued by the defendant; once these certificates are found to have been issued by the defendant, the defendant is liable to pay the claimed amount.
  • The defendant failed to admit or deny the plaintiff's documents (including the TDS certificates) despite repeated opportunities; an order dated 05.10.2010 by the Joint Registrar closed the defendant's right to admit/deny, and therefore provisions of Order 12 Rules 2-A, 3-A and 4 CPC would operate to deem the TDS certificates admitted.
  • The plaintiff also relied upon a letter dated 30.04.2012 addressed by the defendant to the police, in which the plaintiff is shown as a distributor and it is stated that the defendant had issued the TDS certificates.

Defendant's Arguments

  • The defendant denied the plaintiff's claim and stated that issuance of TDS certificates does not amount to acknowledgment of liability.
  • The defendant alleged that the plaintiff, together with others, embezzled and defrauded the defendant to the tune of Rs. 3,43,03,807. When detected by auditors, the plaintiff was terminated and a criminal complaint (FIR No. 282 of 2003) was filed on 16.06.2003; the plaintiff later filed FIR No. 250 of 2004 on 20.05.2004.
  • By applicable rules of M/s Frontier Trading, an Independent Representative in breach/default is not entitled to receive further incentives; accordingly the plaintiff is not entitled to incentives and, if entitled, any amount would stand adjusted/set off against amounts allegedly embezzled by the plaintiff.

Table of Precedents Cited

Precedent Rule or Principle Cited For Application by the Court
Nagindas Ramdas v. Dalpatram Locharam alias Brijram & Ors., AIR 1974 SC 471 The distinction between judicial admissions (which stand on a higher footing and can be binding) and evidentiary admissions (which are not conclusive and can be rebutted); admissions are not necessarily conclusive and may operate as estoppels (reference to para 26 and the principle in Section 31 of the Indian Evidence Act). The court applied this authority to hold that the TDS certificates are evidentiary admissions only and not judicial admissions; therefore they cannot form the sole basis for a summary decree under Order 12 Rule 6 CPC while disputed questions of fact still require trial evidence.

Court's Reasoning and Analysis

The court began by noting that applications under Order 12 Rule 6 CPC can be made at any stage but emphasized the legal distinction between judicial admissions and evidentiary admissions. Relying on the Supreme Court's observations in Nagindas Ramdas (para 26), the court explained that judicial admissions (admissions in pleadings or those admissible under Section 58 of the Evidence Act) are of a higher order and may be binding, whereas evidentiary admissions are not conclusive and can be shown to be wrong.

Applying this principle, the court held that the TDS certificates relied upon by the plaintiff constitute evidentiary admissions only. Because issues had already been framed (notably issue no. 2 dealing with entitlement to commission and the defendant's pleaded defence of adjustment/set-off for embezzled amounts) and evidence was still being led (the plaintiff being cross-examined), the totality of evidence had not been placed before the court. The court stated that evidence available at an intermediate stage cannot be the basis for summary disposal where disputed questions of fact remain and where the defendant must be permitted to lead evidence in support of its defence.

In particular, the court observed that the defendant's defence that any amount payable to the plaintiff would stand adjusted against embezzled amounts is a disputed question of fact which falls squarely within issue no. 2, thereby entitling the defendant to lead evidence. Summarily decreeing the suit would effectively reject that defence without allowing the defendant to present its case.

Holding and Implications

Core Ruling: The application under Order 12 Rule 6 CPC filed by the plaintiff for summary decree is DISMISSED.

Direct consequences for the parties:

  • The plaintiff's application for a summary decree is refused; the defendant's defence (including the set-off/adjustment and allegations of embezzlement) is not rejected and the defendant remains entitled to lead evidence on those matters.
  • No costs were awarded.
  • The matter was directed to be listed before the Joint Registrar for fixing dates for recording of evidence on 17 November 2015, indicating that the trial will proceed on the merits.

Broader implications: The opinion does not announce any new legal precedent; it applies established principles distinguishing judicial and evidentiary admissions and confirms that summary disposal under Order 12 Rule 6 CPC is inappropriate where disputed facts remain and evidence is incomplete.

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    Rahul Jain v. Vasant Raj Pandit

    $~5 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

    + CS(OS) 623/2005 RAHUL JAIN ..... Plaintiff Through: Mr. Gurmehar Sistani, Advocate. Versus

    VASANT RAJ PANDIT ..... Defendant Through: Mr. Jagdev Singh, Advocate with Mr. Ankit Gyan, Advocate and Mr.

    Aishwarya Kumar, Advocate.

    CORAM:

    HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VALMIKI J. MEHTA

    O R D E R

    % 12.08.2015 I.A. No.22699/2014 (under Order 12 Rule 6 CPC)

    1. This is an application filed by the plaintiff under Order 12 Rule 6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (CPC) for decreeing the suit for recovery of Rs.42,59,309/-. The cause of action as averred in the plaint is that plaintiff was appointed as a distributor by the defendant for marketing of the products "Japan Life Total Sleeping System" and plaintiff was entitled to commission on sale of such products. The amount claimed in the suit is said to be commission due to the plaintiff for sale of products as a

    1

    distributor of the defendant.

    2. By this application, it is argued that the amount which is claimed in the suit is that the amount with respect to which the defendant had issued a total of 11 TDS certificates and once the 11 TDS certificates are found to be issued by the defendant, the defendant is liable to pay the suit amount to the plaintiff. It is also argued that the TDS certificates are deemed to be admitted inasmuch as defendant was given repeated opportunities for admission/denial of the documents of the plaintiff (including the TDS certificates) but the defendant has failed to conduct admission/denial and right to conduct admission/denial by the defendant was closed in terms of the order dated 5.10.2010 passed by the Joint Registrar of this Court. It is argued that though there is no formal order of the deemed admission, however, in view of the order dated 5.10.2010 provisions of Order 12 Rule 2-A, 3-A and 4 CPC will come into play as a result of which the TDS certificates are deemed to be admitted by the defendant. Applicant/plaintiff also places strong reliance upon the letter dated 30.4.2012 addressed by the defendant to the police wherein the plaintiff is shown as a distributor of the defendant and also that defendant had issued

    2

    the TDS certificates.

    3. The defendant by filing the written statement has disputed the claim of the plaintiff. Besides disputing the claim of the plaintiff, in para 5 of the reply on merits, the defendant has pleaded the defence that assuming for the sake of arguments though not admitting that plaintiff is entitled to moneys claimed as incentives even then the defendant would not be liable to pay the suit amount to the plaintiff which would have to and will stand adjusted against the amount cheated/embezzled by the plaintiff. Details of the embezzlement is stated in the earlier part of para 5. Para 5 of the written statement reads as under:-

    "5. That the contents of para 5 are wrong and hence denied. It is denied that the defendant towards commission payable to the plaintiff under the agreement under writing between the parties fully acknowledged. A sum of Rs.35,67,151.58 as due and payable to the plaintiff. It is submitted that the issuance of TDS certificates does not amount to any acknowledgment of due as the plaintiff has alleged in the para under reply. No amount whatsoever is due and payable to the plaintiff by the defendant and all these allegations are totally wrong and baseless. In fact, the plaintiff with two other distributor/Independent representatives who were responsible for day to day affairs of the defendant concern embezzled and defrauded the defendant to the tune of Rs.3,43,03,807/-. When the fraud committed by the said Independent representatives was detected by the auditors, the plaintiff was thereafter immediately terminated by the defendant from the status of Japan Life Independent Representative. Further, the defendant thereafter filed a criminal complaint being FIR No.282 of 2003 at Sarojini Nagar Police station

    3

    on 16.6.03 under section 406, 420, 120B IPC. Subsequently the plaintiff as a counter blast to the said FIR, filed an FIR being No.250 of 2004 on 20.5.2004. The belated present suit has also been filed by the plaintiff to escape from his aforesaid criminal liability. It is submitted that as per the applicable rules of M/s Frontier Trading an Independent representative who is in breach, default or in violation any of the terms, conditions and/or rules applicable to them shall not be entitled to receive any further incentives whether or not the sales for such incentives have been completed. The plaintiff has accepted the said terms & conditions and had acted upon it. Having taken advantage of the said terms & conditions, it is not open for the plaintiff to challenge the same. Therefore the plaintiff is not entitled to any incentive as per the applicable terms, conditions and/or rules. Assuming for the sake of arguments though not admitting that the plaintiff is entitled to some incentives, even then the defendant would not liable to pay any amount to the plaintiff as the same would stand adjusted/set off against the amount cheated/embezzled by the plaintiff as aforesaid." (underlining added)

    4. In this suit, in view of the pleadings, the following issues were framed on 18.11.2010:-

    "(1) Whether the plaintiff was appointed as distributor for marketing the products of the defendant as alleged in the plaint?

    OPP.

    (2) Whether the plaintiff is entitled to any commission from the defendant and if so, to what amount? OPP.

    (3) Whether the plaintiff is entitled to any interest from the defendant and if so, at what rate and for what amount? OPP.

    (4) Relief."

    5. After framing of issues, case has proceeded for recording of

    4

    evidence and presently plaintiff is in witness box and he is being cross- examined by the counsel for the defendant. It is at this stage that the subject application under Order 12 Rule 6 CPC has been filed by the plaintiff/applicant.

    6. No doubt, an application under Order 12 Rule 6 CPC can be moved at any stage. However, it is required to be noted that in law there are two types of evidences and admissions; one type of admissions are judicial admissions and evidences which stand on much higher pedestal than evidentiary admissions and evidences and the second type are evidentiary admissions, and the latter evidences cannot be a basis for straightway disposal of the suit under Order 12 Rule 6 CPC because evidence of each party at different stages of the suit are only different parts of the complete evidences, and in law totality of the evidences only can be seen after evidence is completely led by both the parties. Some evidence of each party, for and against the party, available at different stages of a suit, cannot be a basis that at the intermediate stages in the suit, when there are disputed questions of fact on which trial has to take place, the suit has to be decreed under Order 12 Rule 6 CPC. It is necessary at this stage to refer to

    5

    observations of the Supreme Court in the case of Nagindas Ramdas Vs. Dalpatram Locharam alias Brijram & Ors., AIR 1974 SC 471 wherein the Supreme Court has marked out a clear cut distinction between the evidentiary admissions and judicial admissions and which para 26 reads as under:-

    "26. From a conspectus of the cases cited at the bar the principle that emerges is that if at the time of the passing of the decree, there was some material before the Court, on the basis of which the Court could be prima facie satisfied, about the existence of a statutory ground for eviction, it will be presumed that the Court was so satisfied and the decree for eviction apparently passed on the basis of a compromise, would be valid. Such material may take the shape either of evidence recorded or produced in the case or, it may partly or wholly be in the shape of an express or implied admission made in the compromise agreement itself. Admission is true and clear are by far the best proof of the facts admitted. Admissions in pleadings or judicial admission admissible under Section 58 of the Evidence Act, made by the parties or their agents at or before the hearing of the case, stand on a higher footing than evidentiary admission. The former class of admissions are fully binding on the party that makes them and constitute a waiver of proof. They by themselves can be made the foundation of the rights of the parties. On the other hand evidentiary admissions which are receivable at the rival as evidence are by themselves not conclusive. They can be shown to be wrong."

    (underlining added)

    7. In the present case, TDS certificates would be evidentiary

    6

    admissions only and not judicial admissions of evidence for the same to form a basis at this stage itself for decreeing of the suit although issues have been framed with respect to disputed questions of facts and evidence is going on. It is also required to be noted that observations of the Supreme Court in the case of Nagindas Ramdas (supra) are in terms of Section 31 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 which states that admissions are not conclusive though they may operate as estoppels. Evidence which therefore exists at an intermediate stage of a suit would be relevant to one party to prove his case, but such evidence can always be questioned by leading evidence by the other side and also by cross-examining the witness of the other party.

    8. In the present case, the issue no.2 will cover the defence of the defendant with respect to adjustment that if any amount is due and payable to the plaintiff the same would be adjusted against the adjustment to be given to the defendant for the amounts which as per the defendant are said to have been embezzled by the plaintiff. This disputed question of fact entitles the defendant to lead the evidence to show as to how the plaintiff has embezzled money and such amounts of moneys are to be adjusted against the claim of the plaintiff in the suit.

    7

    9. In view of the above, the present is not a fit case in which the suit for recovery of money should be straightway decreed. To allow the application is to summarily reject the defence of the defendant without allowing the defendant to lead evidence on his defence which is a disputed question of fact requiring leading of evidence by the defendant. The application is therefore dismissed. No costs.

    +CS(OS) No.623/2005

    10. List before the Joint Registrar for fixing dates for recording of evidence on 17thNovember, 2015.

    VALMIKI J. MEHTA, J

    AUGUST 12, 2015

    Ne

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    Rahul Jain v. Vasant Raj Pandit
    (Aug 12, 2015)