S.P.N.Sathyamoorthy v. The District Registrar (Admin)
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 03.07.2025
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE S.M.SUBRAMANIAM AND THE HONOURABLE DR.JUSTICE A.D.MARIA CLETE W.A.(MD)Nos.943 & 944 of 2021 & W.P.(MD)Nos.14491, 14494, 14495, 18506, 18507 of 2014, 23390 of 2015, 5480 of 2016, 2176, 19530 & 22598 of 2021 & C.R.P.(MD)No.525 of 2019 & C.M.P.(MD)Nos.3649 & 3650 of 2019 in C.R.P.(MD)SR.Nos.12627 & 12629 of 2019 & Cont.P.(MD)No.971 of 2021 & C.M.P.(MD)No.5406 of 2019 in Rev.Aplc.(MD)SR.No.8164 of 2019 and C.M.P.(MD)Nos.4282 & 4283 of 2021 & M.P.(MD)Nos.1, 3, 6, 2 to 5, 2 to 5 of 2014, 1, 2, 1, 2 of 2014, 2 of 2015, W.M.P.(MD)Nos.4922, 6169 of 2016, 1817, 18420, 19115 of 2021, 2172 of 2024 C.M.P.(MD)Nos.2584, 2585, 2283 & 2284 of 2019, 15081 and 16516 of 2023 W.A.(MD)Nos.943 & 944 of 2021 S.P.N.Sathyamoorthy ... Appellants in both appeals
-Vs1.The District Registrar (Admin), Tiruchirappalli Registration District , Office the District Registrar, Tiruchirappalli District.
2.The Sub -Registrar K.Sathanoor Sub-Registration District , Office of the Sub-Registrar, K.K.Nagar, Trichy.
3.Solomon Devaraj 4.Nirmala 5.Dhanalakshmi 6.Vinoth 7.N.Mageswaran 8.S.Ramesh 9.S.Rajendran 10.L.Albert Karunakaran 11.S.Densinghbernot ... Respondents in W.A.(MD)No.943 of 2021 (R7 to R11 are impleaded as per the order of this Court dated 25.04.2025 in C.M.P.(MD)No.7071 of 2025 in W.A.(MD)No.943 of 2021) 1.The District Registrar (Admin), Tiruchirappalli Registration District , Trichy.
2.M.Prathap 3.Solomon Devaraj 4.J.Govindarajan 5.Ethirajam Ammal 6.Emili Richard 7.Palanichami 8.Surayabegum 9.Nirmala
10.Dhanalakshmi 11.Vinoth 12.R.V.Kannan 13.S.Sasikaladevi ... Respondents in W.A.(MD)No.944 of 2021 COMMON PRAYER: Appeals filed under Clause 15 of Letters Patent, praying this Court to set aside the order dated 12.03.2021 made in WP(MD)Nos.5320 & 5315 of 2021on the file of this Court.
For Appellant : Mr.R.Balachandran For R1 & R2 : Mr.D.Sasikumar, Additional Government Pleader For R3 : Died For R4 & R6 : Mr.R.S.Sivaram For R5 : No Appearance (in W.A.(MD)No.943 of 2021) For Appellant : Mr.R.Balachandran For R1 : Mr.D.Sasikumar, Additional Government Pleader For R2, R4 to R6 R8, R10 & R13 : No Appearance For R3 : Died For R7 : Mr.S.Muthukumar For R9 & R11 : Mr.R.S.Sivaram For R12 : Mr.B.Jameel Arasu (in W.A.(MD)No.944 of 2021)
W.P.(MD)No.14491 of 2014 S.P.N.Sathyamoorthy ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Commissioner of Police, Trichy City Police, Trichirappalli.
2.The Inspector of Police, Prohibition of Land Grabbing Special Wing, Cantonment, Trichirappalli.
3.The District Registrar, Trichirappalli District, Trichirappalli.
4.The Sub Registrar, K.Sathanoor, Trichirappalli District.
5.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Trichirappalli District, Trichirappalli.
6.SuriyaBegam 7.Y.Solomon Devaraj
...Respondents
PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 and 2 to permit the petitioner to occupy the schedule - A property by entrusting the possession of the same to the petitioner and to forbear in any manner allowing the respondents 6 and 7 in entering into the schedule - A property.
For Petitioner : Mr.R.Balachandran For R1 & R2 : No Appearance
For R3 to R5 : Mr.D.Sasikumar, Additional Government Pleader For R6 : Mr.H.Mohamed Imran, for M/s.Ajmal Associates For R7 : Mr.S.C.Herold Singh W.P.(MD)Nos.14494 & 14495 of 2014 M/s.The Amalgamated Coalfields Limited, Rep., by its Authorized Signatory C.Sitaram ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The District Collector, Trichy District, Trichy.
2.The District Revenue Officer, Trichy.
3.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Trichy.
4.The Tahsildar, Trichy Taluk, Trichy District.
5.The Commissioner of Police, Trichy City, Trichy.
6.The Inspector of Police, Anti Land Grabbing Cell, Cantonment, Trichy-1.
7.Y.Solomon Devaraj 8.Suriah Beugm
...Respondents
COMMON PRAYER: Petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Certiorari, calling for the records pertaining to the impugned order passed by the 3rd respondent in Na.Ka.A7-6903-2012, dated 24.03.2014 and 12.06.2014 respectively quash the same. For Petitioner : Mr.M.Saravanan For R1 to R4 : Mr.D.Sasikumar, Additional Government Pleader For R5 & R6 : No Appearance For R7 : Mr.S.C.Herold Singh For R8 : Not ready in notice W.P.(MD)Nos.18506 & 18507 of 2014 M/s.The Amalgamated Coalfields Limited, Rep., by its Authorized Signatory C.Sitaram ... Petitioner in both W.Ps.
Vs.
1.The District Collector, Trichy District, Trichy.
2.The District Revenue Officer, Trichy.
3.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Trichy.
4.The Commissioner of Police, Trichy City, Trichy.
5.The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Cantonment, Trichy City.
6.The Inspector of Police, Anti Land Grabbing Cell, Cantonment, Trichy-1.
7.Manimozhi 8.Y.Solomon Devaraj
...Respondents
in W.P.(MD)No.18506 / 2014 1.The Inspector General of Registration, Santhome High Road, Chennai.
2.The District Registrar, Trichy.
3.The Sub Registrar, Sathanur, K.K.Nagar, Trichy District.
4.Y.Solomon Devaraj
...Respondents
in W.P.(MD)No.18507 / 2014 PRAYER in W.P.(MD)No.18506 of 2014: Petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, forbearing the 6th respondent from abetting and assisting the 8th respondent to encroach the petitioner's property comprised in S.No.6/1, measuring 97 cents, S.No.6/2, measuring 1.06 acres, S.No.7/3 measuring 1.06 acres and S.No.7/4 measuring 1.02 acres situated at K.Sathanur Village, Trichy District. PRAYER in W.P.(MD)No.18507 of 2014: Petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, forbearing the 3rd respondent from registering any document presented by the 4th respondent or his
men or agents or anybody claiming under them in respect of the petitioner's property comprised in S.No.6/1, measuring 97 cents, S.No.6/2, measuring 1.06 acres, S.No.7/3 measuring 1.06 acres and S.No.7/4 measuring 1.02 acres situated at K.Sathanur Village, Trichy District without following the provisions of Section 5 of Tamil Nadu Patta Passbook Act.
For Petitioner : Mr.M.Saravanan For R1 to R3 : Mr.D.Sasikumar, Additional Government Pleader (in both W.Ps) For R4 to R7 : No Appearance For R8 : Mr.S.C.Herold Singh (in W.P.(MD)No.18506 / 2014) For R4 : Mr.S.C.Herold Singh (in W.P.(MD)No.18507 / 2014) W.P.(MD)No.23390 of 2015 M/s.The Amalgamated Coalfields Limited, Rep., by its Authorized Signatory C.Sitaram ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The District Collector, Trichy District, Trichy.
2.The District Revenue Officer, Trichy.
3.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Trichy.
4.The Tahsildar, Trichy Taluk, Trichy District.
5.The Commissioner of Police, Trichy City, Trichy.
6.The Inspector of Police, Anti Land Grabbing Cell, Cantonment, Trichy-1.
7.Y.Solomon Devaraj 8.Suriah Beugm 9.S.P.N.Sathiyamoorthy 10.Singam @ Muthukrishnan
...Respondents
PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Certiorari, calling for the records pertaining to the impugned order passed by the 3rd respondent in Na.Ka.A7-6903-2012, dated 28.08.2015 quash the same. For Petitioner : Mr.M.Saravanan For R1 to R4 : Mr.D.Sasikumar, Additional Government Pleader For R5 & R6 : No Appearance For R7 : Mr.S.C.Herold Singh For R8 : Not ready in notice For R9 : Mr.R.Balachandran For R10 : Mr.S.Premkumar
W.P.(MD)No.5480 of 2016 M/s.The Amalgamated Coalfields Limited, Rep., by its Authorized Signatory C.Sitaram ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The District Collector, Trichy District, Trichy.
2.The District Revenue Officer, Trichy.
3.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Trichy.
4.The Tahsildar, Trichy Taluk, Trichy District.
5.Y.Solomon Devaraj 6.Singam @ Muthukrishnan 7.Suriah Begum 8.Sasikala Devi 9.K.Palanisamy 10.P.Venkatachalapathy 11.P.Kumar 12.P.Gurunathan 13.J.Govindarajan 14.S.P.N.Sathiyamoorthy
...Respondents
PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Certiorari, calling for the records pertaining to the impugned order passed by the 2nd respondent in Na.Ka.A6/21251/2015, dated 03.03.2016 quash the same.
For Petitioner : Mr.M.Saravanan For R1 to R4 : Mr.D.Sasikumar, Additional Government Pleader For R5, R7, R8 & R13 : No Appearance For R6 : Mr.S.Premkumar For R9 to R12 : Mr.R.Narayanan For R14 : Mr.R.Balachandran W.P.(MD)No.2176 of 2021 R.V.Kannan ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Inspector General of Registration, Office of the Inspector General of Registration, Chennai.
2.The Additional Inspector General of Registration, Registration Department, Chennai.
3.The District Registrar, Office of the District Registrar, Registration Department, Trichy District.
4.The Sub Registrar, Office of the Sub Registrar, K.Sathanoor Sub Registration Office, K.K.Nagar, Trichy.
5.Y.Solomon Devaraj
...Respondents
(R5 is impleaded vide Court order dated 16.02.2021 made in W.M.P.(MD)No. 2144 of 2021 in W.P.(MD)No.2176 of 2021)
PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Certiorari, calling for the records pertaining to the impugned order passed by the 2nd respondent vide letter No.44586/C1/2019, dated 28.02.2020 and consequential proceedings issued by the 3rd respondent vide Na.Ka.No. 15905/AA4/2019, dated 04.03.2020 and quash the same. For Petitioner : Mr.B.Jameel Arasu For R1 to R4 : Mr.D.Sasikumar, Additional Government Pleader For R5 : Mr.R.S.Sivaram W.P.(MD)No.19530 of 2021 Lakshmikanthan ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Inspector General of Registration, Office of the Inspector General of Registration, Chennai.
2.The District Registrar, Office of the District Registrar, Trichy.
3.Y.Solomon Devaraj
...Respondents
(R3 is corrected vide Court order dated 24.01.2022) PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 and 2 herein to conduct a detailed
enquiry in the above subject matter on the basis of the petitioner's representation dated 24.09.2021 and pass necessary orders within the time stipulated by this Court.
For Petitioner : Mr.B.Jameel Arasu For R1 & R2 : Mr.D.Sasikumar, Additional Government Pleader For R3 : Mr.R.S.Sivaram W.P.(MD)No.22598 of 2021 Y.Solomon Devaraj ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The District Collector, Tiruchirappalli.
2.The District Revenue Officer, Tiruchirappalli.
3.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Tiruchirappalli.
4.The Tahsildar, Tiruchirappalli East Taluk, Tiruchirappalli.
5.Singam @ Muthukrishnan 6.Prathap 7.Seethalakshmi 8.S.P.N.Sathiyamoorthy 9.Eithrajam Ammal 10.T.Vinoth
...Respondents
PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records of the order of the 1st respondent in Na.Ka.No.AA6/21251/2015, dated 15.07.2019 confirming the order of the 2nd respondent in Na.Ka.No.AA6/21251/2015, dated 03.03.2016 and quash the same and consequently, to direct the official respondents to transfer patta in the name of the petitioner's original principals / principals in respect of properties in Trichy District, K.Sathanur Village, Town Survey No.9, S.F.No.6/1, 6/2, 6/3, 6/4, 7/3 & 7/4 as per the decree of Trichy District Munsif Court in O.S.No.49 of 2010 (LAC No.151 of 2013) dated 04.06.2013.
For Petitioner : Mr.R.S.Sivaram For R1 to R4 : Mr.D.Sasikumar, Additional Government Pleader For R5 & R6 : Mr.A.Hajamohideen For R7 : Mr.K.K.Samy For R8 : Mr.R.Balachandran For R9 & R10 : No Appearance C.R.P.(MD)No.525 of 2019 1.S.P.N.Sathyamurthy 2.S.P.N.Krishnamoorthy ... Petitioners Vs.
1.R.V.Kannan 2.M.Prathap
...Respondents
PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to set aside the judgment and decree passed on 09.04.2016 recording the compromise arrived at between the parties in the suit in O.S.No.184 of 2015 on the file of the Principal District Judge, Tiruchirappalli. For Petitioners : Mr.R.Balachandran For R1 : Mr.G.Prabhu Rajadurai For R2 : No Appearance C.M.P.(MD)Nos.3649 & 3650 of 2019 1.S.P.N.Sathyamurthy 2.S.P.N.Krishnamoorthy ... Petitioners Vs.
1.R.V.Kannan 2.M.Prathap
...Respondents
COMMON PRAYER in C.M.P.(MD)Nos.3649 & 3650 of 2019: Petitions filed under Section 151 of C.P.C., praying this Court to grant leave to file the Civil Revision Petition as against the order passed in E.P.No.193 of 2017 and E.A.No. 184 of 2018 in E.P.No.193 of 2017 respectively in L.A.C.No.120 of 2016 in O.S.No.184 of 2015 dated 14.12.2018 on the file of the learned Principal District Judge at Tiruchirappalli.
COMMON PRAYER in C.R.P.(MD)SR.Nos.12627 & 12629 of 2019: Petitions filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to set aside
the judgment and decree passed on 10.08.2019 and 14.12.2018 in E.P.No.193 of 2017 and E.A.No.184 of 2018 in E.P.No.193 of 2017 respectively in L.A.C.No. 120 of 2016 in O.S.No.184 of 2015 on the file of the Principal District Judge, Tiruchirappalli.
For Petitioners : Mr.R.Balachandran For R1 : Mr.R.Maheswaran CONT.P.(MD)No.971 of 2021 S.P.N.Sathyamurthy ... Petitioners Vs.
Solomon Devaraj
...Respondent
PRAYER: Petition filed under Sections 10 & 11 of Contempt of Court Act, 1971, to punish the contemnor / 1st respondent / 7th respondent for his deliberate act of breach and willful disobedience of the order of this Court passed on 02.09.2014 in M.P.(MD)Nos.1 to 3 of 2014 in W.P.(MD)No.14491 of 2014. For Petitioner : Mr.R.Balachandran For Respondent : Mr.R.S.Sivaram C.M.P.(MD)No.5406 of 2019 M.Prathab ... Petitioner Vs.
1.S.P.N.Sathyamoorthi 2.S.P.N.Krishnamoorthi
...Respondents
PRAYER in C.M.P.(MD)No.5406 of 2019: Petition filed under Section 5 of Limitation Act, praying this Court to condone the delay of 144 days in presenting the Review Petition filed herewith to review the order dated 03.10.2018 passed in C.R.P.(MD)No.901 of 2018 and C.M.P.(MD)No.3975 of 2018 on the file of this Court.
PRAYER in REV.APLC.(MD)SR.No.8164 of 2019: Petition filed under Order 47 Rule 1 & 2 of C.P.C., r/w Section 114 of C.P.C., praying this Court to review the order dated 03.10.2018 passed in C.R.P.(MD)No.901 of 2018 and C.M.P. (MD)No.3975 of 2018 on the file of this Court. For Petitioner : Mr.C.Susikumar For R1 : Mr.R.Balachandran For R2 : Not ready in notice COMMON JUDGMENT [Judgment of the Court was delivered by S.M.SUBRAMANIAM, J.] The intra-Court appeals have been instituted challenging the common order dated 12.03.2021 passed in W.P.(MD)Nos.5320 & 5315 of 2021. 2.The case of the appellant is that he is the absolute owner of the property as described in the Writ proceedings. He states that fraudulent transaction had been made in favour of the private respondents, which lead to
filing of several Writ proceedings. Number of civil suits have been instituted and those suits are pending. During the pendency of the suits, compromise was also arrived with the third parties. Many litigations are admittedly pending before the civil Courts.
3.During the pendency of the civil Court proceedings, no Writ is entertainable under Article 226 of Constitution of India. The disputes of civil in nature nor the civil rights between the parties cannot be adjudicated in a Writ proceedings. Such civil rights are to be established based on the documents and evidences available on record in the trial nature proceedings, which is to be conducted by the competent civil Court of law. 4.The writ Court cannot conduct roving enquiry into the documents relating to title, ownership or otherwise. As far as the order passed by the registering authorities is concerned, the aggrieved parties may prefer an appeal under the Tamil Nadu Registration Act. If at all the subject properties are the subject matter of civil suits, then the party, seeking registration of any document, has to establish his ownership or title before the Sub Registrar for registering document and in compliance with the provisions of the Registration Act and Rules framed thereunder.
5.The registering authorities are also empowered to return the documents under various grounds as contemplated under the provisions of the Registration Act, in the event of any doubt or any such document presented for registration is found to be not in consonance with the provisions of the Act and Rules.
6.Admittedly, the title and ownership are in dispute between the parties. On account of fraudulent creation of documents, the issues are further complicated between the parties. Thus, an elaborate adjudication of facts or material facts is to be undertaken by the civil Court based on the document and evidence for the purpose of forming a final opinion and such an effort cannot be undertaken by the High Court in a Writ proceedings. 7.The learned Single Judge has also expressed same opinion and hence, dismissed the Writ Petitions. This Court do not find any reason to interfere with the order of the writ Court, since the reasoning given by the writ Court is in consonance with the established principles of law. Therefore, the parties are at liberty to workout their remedy before the competent civil Court and thereafter, approach the revenue authorities, seeking for patta under the Patta Passbook Act or mutation of records or otherwise in the manner known to law.
8.In respect of patta issued illegally according to the writ petitioner, the petitioners are at liberty to prefer an appeal before the appellate authority under the Patta Passbook Act and if the authorities competent form an opinion that the dispute exists regarding the title or ownership, all the parties are to be relegated to resolve the issue through civil Court of law. Patta will not confer any right or title to the parties. In the event of dispute, the parties have to approach the civil Court for declaration. The Writ Petitions and other proceedings are also connected with the same property. Since this Court has decided that the parties have to resolve the disputes through the competent civil Court, no independent consideration on merits needs to be undertaken.
9.With the above observations, all these matters are dismissed. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. [S.M.S, J.] & [A.D.M.C., J.] 03.07.2025 NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No Yuva
To 1.The District Collector, Trichy District, Trichy.
2.The District Revenue Officer, Trichy.
3.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Trichy.
4.The Tahsildar, Trichy Taluk, Trichy District.
5.The District Registrar, Trichirappalli District, Trichirappalli.
6.The Sub Registrar, K.Sathanoor, Trichirappalli District.
7.The Inspector General of Registration, Santhome High Road, Chennai.
8.The Additional Inspector General of Registration, Registration Department, Chennai.
S.M.SUBRAMANIAM, J.
AND DR.A.D.MARIA CLETE, J.
Yuva 03.07.2025