Order
1. Leave granted.
2. The respondent Bank filed a suit in the year 1996 for recovery of Rs 19.60 lakhs. It appears that the respondent was also a tenant of the appellants in the building constructed by utilisation of the loan granted by the Bank. Inasmuch as the appellant did not file any written statement within the time granted by the court, an ex parte decree was passed on 10-11-1997. The applications filed thereafter for setting aside the said order and for condoning the delay in filing the said application were dismissed by the trial court on 10-2-1999. The High Court initially passed an order on 27-9-1999 directing the appellant to deposit Rs 20 lakhs. The appellant was not able to deposit the said amount. Thereafter, the High Court passed the present order (impugned order) on 11-10-1999 refusing to set aside the ex parte decree. It is against the said order that this appeal is preferred.
3. This Court passed an order on 24-4-2000 directing the appellant to deposit Rs 7,00,000 (Rupees seven lakhs) within eight weeks. The said amount has been deposited.
4. As a condition for setting aside the ex parte decree and for restoration of the suit, we direct the appellant to deposit a further sum of Rs 5 lakhs within ten weeks from today and that if the amount is so deposited within the said period, the ex parte order passed by the trial court on 10-11-1997 shall stand set aside and the suit will stand restored to the file of the trial court. The trial court shall then issue notice to the appellant and fix a date for filing written statement and thereafter proceed in accordance with law.
5. The amount already deposited by the appellant will be permitted to be withdrawn by the respondent Bank and will be adjusted towards the suit amount. The further amount to be deposited, in case it is deposited, shall also be permitted to be withdrawn by the respondent Bank and adjusted towards the suit amount. In case the further amount of Rs 5,00,000 (Rupees five lakhs), as directed in this order is not deposited within the period of 10 weeks now granted, this appeal shall stand dismissed without further reference to court. The said deposit and the withdrawal of the same shall be subject to the result of the suit. The appeal is disposed of in terms of the above direction.