- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:4901 WP No. 64152 of 2011 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA DHARWAD BENCH DATED THIS THE 17TH DAY OF MARCH, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MRS JUSTICE M.G.UMA WRIT PETITION NO. 64152 OF 2011 (KLR-RES) BETWEEN: 1. SRI SUBHAS S/O. NAGO MARUCHE, AGE: 55 YEARS, 2. SRI. BALU S/O. NAGO MARUCHE, AGE: 53 YEARS, 3. SRI. DUDDAPPA S/O. KALLAPPA MARUCHE, AGE: 80 YEARS, 4. SRI. SHANKAR, S/O. KALLAPPA MARUCHE, AGE: 60 YEARS, 5. SRI. YASHWANT S/O. KALLAPPA MARUCHE, AGE: 55 YEARS, 6. SRI. MARUTHI S/O. KALLAPPA MARUCHE, AGE: 54 YEARS, 7. SRI. KRISHNA S/O. KALLAPPA MARUCHE, AGE: 52 YEARS, ALL MAJORS R/AT KALLEHOL, POST: KALLEHOL, TALUK & DIST: BELGAUM. …PETITIONERS Digitally signed by V N BADIGER Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH, DHARWAD - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:4901 WP No. 64152 of 2011 (BY SRI. GIRISH A. YADAWAD, ADVOCATE FOR P1, R2, P4, P6 & P7; GOULAY ASSOCIATES FOR P3, P5) AND: 1. SRI. KALLAPPA, S/O. KALU MARUCHE, 2. SRI. JAANABA, S/O. KALU MARUCHE, 3. SRI. BALU, S/O. KALU MARUCHE, 4. SRI. DHAKALU, S/O. BHAVAKU MARUCHE, 5. SRI. MOTIRAM, S/O. BHAVAKU MARUCHE, 6. SRI. VITTAL S/O. BALU MARUCHE, 7. SRI. SOMANNA, S/O. BALU MARUCHE, 8. SRI. DEVAPPA, S/O. BALU MARUCHE, 9. SRI. KOLABA, S/O. OMANNA MARUCHE, 10. SRI. LAXMAN, S/O. OMANNA MARUCHE, 11. SRI. BALU, S/O. KANABARKAR, 12. SRI. BALU, S/O. KANABARKAR, 13. SRI. LAXMAN, S/O. KANABARKAR, - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:4901 WP No. 64152 of 2011 14. SRI. LAXMAN, S/O. YESHWANT MARUCHE, 15. SRI. KRISHNA, S/O. YESHWANT MARUCHE, 16. SRI. NARAYAN S/O. LANU MARUCHE, 17. SRI. PARASHURAM S/O. LANU MARUCHE, 18. SRI. LAXMAN, S/O. SANKO MARUCHE, 19. SRI. SOMANNA, S/O. SANKO MARUCHE, 20. SRI. DHAKALU, S/O. SANKO MARUCHE, 21. SRI. YELLAPPA, S/O. SANKO MARUCHE, 22. SRI. LAXMAN, S/O. YESHWANT MARUCHE, 23. SRI. KEDARI, S/O. YESHWANT MARUCHE, 24. SRI. DEVAPPA, S/O. YESHWANT MARUCHE, 25. SRI. DEVAPPA, S/O. YESHWANT MARUCHE, 26. SRI. GUNDU, S/O. YESHWANT MARUCHE, 27. SRI. KAJO, S/O. NINGAPPA MARUCHE, 28. SRI. VAIJU, S/O. NINGAPPA MARUCHE, - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:4901 WP No. 64152 of 2011 29. SRI. SHIVAJI, S/O. YELLAPPA MARUCHE, 30. SRI. SHANKAR S/O. YELLAPPA MARUCHE, 31. SRI. KRISHNA, S/O. YELLAPPA MARUCHE, 32. SRI. PARASHURAM, S/O. YELLAPPA MARUCHE, 33. SRI. YESHWANT, S/O. BHARMANNA MARUCHE, 34. SRI. KRISHNA, S/O. BHARMANNA MARUCHE, 35. SRI. BHAVAKU, S/O. KALLAPPA MARUCHE, 36. SRI. YELLAPPA, S/O. KALLAPPA MARUCHE, 37. SHANTABAI KALLAPPA MARUCHE, 38. SRI. KALLAPPA, S/O. JANAPPA MARUCHE, 39. SRI. PARASHURAM, S/O. BALU VETHAL, 40. SRI. VANALU BALU VETHAL 41. SRI. OMANNA S/O. YESHWANT MARUCHE, 42. SRI. ERAPPA S/O. LAXMAN MARUCHE, 43. SRI. KALLAPPA S/O. TANU MARUCHE, 44. SRI. DEVAPPA S/O. TANU MARUCHE, - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:4901 WP No. 64152 of 2011 45. SRI. BHAVAKU S/O. TANU MARUCHE, 46. SRI. TAMMANI S/O. TANU MARUCHE, 47. SRI. MALLAPPA S/O. TANU MARUCHE, 48. SRI. JYOTIBA S/O. NINGAPPA MARUCHE, 49. SRI. PUNDALKI S/O. YESHWANT MARUCHE, 50. SRI. PANDURANGA S/O. YESHWANT MARUCHE, 51. SRI. NARAYAN S/O. YESHWANT MARUCHE, 52. SRI. SOMAANNA S/O. YESHWANT MARUCHE, 53. SRI. GOPAL S/O. YESHWANT MARUCHE, 54. SRI. PARASHURAM S/O. HARI MARUCHE, 55. SRI. SRI. VIJAY S/O. DHARKALU MARUCHE, 56. SRI. JANABA S/O. KALLAPPA MARUCHE, 57. SRI. PARAKASHA S/O. DHAKULA MARUCHE, 58. SRI. KALLAPPA S/O. DHAKULA MARUCHE, 59. SRI. YESHWANTH S/O. OMANNA MARUCHE, - 6 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:4901 WP No. 64152 of 2011 60. SRI. JAYAVANT S/O. OMANNA MARUCHE, 61. SRI. MAKARAN S/O. RAMA MARUCHE, 62. SRI. KAMESHWAR S/O. RAMA MARUCHE, 63. SRI. SOMANNA S/O. LAXDAMAN MARUCHE, 64. SRI. BALAVANT S/O. DONGARU MARUCHE, 65. SRI. YELLAPPA S/O. DONGARU MARUCHE, 66. SRI. GUNDU S/O. YESHVANT MARUCHE, ALL ARE RESIDENTS OFF: KALLEHOL VILLAGE, POST AT KALLEHOL, TALUK AND DISTRICT BELGAUM. 67. THE JOINT DIRECTOR OF LAND RECORDS, BELGAUM, SUB-DIVISION BELGAUM. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI.S.H. MITTALKOD, ADVOCATE FOR R1-R3, R8 TO R10, R12, R13, R15 TO R18, R20, R21, R24, R26, R27, R29 TO R32, R34 TO R41, R46, R48 R52, R53, R55, R59 TO R63 – ABSENT; SRI. T.HANUMAREDDY, AGA FOR R67; SRI. VITTHAL S. TELI, ADVOCATE FOR R1 TO R3, R10, R12, R13, R15, R29, R30, R32 & R38 – ABSENT; SRI. SHRIKANT R. SATTIGERI, SRI. ANAND R. KOLLI AND SRI. VISHWANATH V. BADIGER, ADVOCATE FOR R44 – ABSENT; - 7 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:4901 WP No. 64152 of 2011 SRI. V.M. SHEELVANT, ADVOCATE FOR R1, R10, R15, R30 & R32 (VK FILED)-ABSENT R5, R11, R14, R19, R22, R23, R25, R28, R33, R42, R49, R51, R54, R56, R57, R58, R66 - ARE SERVED; R16, R17, R39, R40, R41 & R62 – NOTICE DISPENSED WITH; PETITION AGAINST DECEASED – R4, R6, R7, R43, R45, R47, R50, R64 & R65 – ABATED) -------- THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 & 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT, DIRECTION OR ORDER DECLARING THE ORDER OF THE KARNATAKA APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, BANGALORE IN APPEAL NO.624/2003 DATED 18/04/2011 AS PER ANNEXURE-E AS ILLEGAL AND VOID AND THE ORDER OF RESPONDENT NO.67 IN NO.APL:SR:21:02-03 DATED 12.03.2003 AS PER ANNEXURE-D, AS ILLEGAL AND VOID. THIS PETITION COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’ GROUP THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING: CORAM: THE HON'BLE MRS JUSTICE M.G.UMA ORAL ORDER The petitioners have filed this petition seeking issuance of writ in the nature of Certiorari to quash the order dated 12.03.2003 passed by respondent No.67-Joint Director of Land Records, produced as per Annexure-B, and also to quash the order dated 18.04.2011 passed by the Karnataka Appellate - 8 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:4901 WP No. 64152 of 2011 Tribunal, Bengaluru (for short, ‘the KAT’), produced as per Annexure-E. 2. Heard Sri Girish A. Yadawad, learned counsel for petitioner Nos.1,2,4,6 and 7, Sri Goulay Associates for petitioner Nos.3 and 5. Sri.T.Hanumareddy, learned Additional Government Advocate for respondent No.67. Sri.S.H.Mittalkod, learned counsel for respondent Nos.1 to 3, 8 to 10, 12, 13, 15 to 18, 20, 21, 24, 26, 27, 29 to 32, 34 to 41, 46, 48, 52, 53, 55, 59 to 63 and Sri.Vitthal S. Teli, learned counsel for respondent Nos.1 to 3, 10, 12, 13, 15, 29, 30, 32 and 38, Sri Shrikant R. Sattigeri, Anand R. Kolli and Vishwanath V. Badiger, learned counsel for respondent No.44, Sri.V.M.Sheelvant, learned counsel for respondent Nos.1, 10, 15, 30 and 32 are absent. Hence their arguments are taken as nil. Respondent Nos.5, 11, 14, 19, 22, 23, 25, 28, 33, 42, 49, 51, 54, 56, 57, 58 and 66 are served and they remained unrepresented. Perused the materials on record. 3. It is the contention of the petitioner Nos.1 to 7 that Sy.No.239 was originally measuring 28.22 acres, there were several hissas in it. The disputed land is Sy.No.239/6, totally - 9 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:4901 WP No. 64152 of 2011 measuring 7.05 acres. It was further mutated as Sy.No.239/B and 239/C measuring 4 acres and 3.05 acres respectively. It is stated that the private respondents herein have filed the suit in O.S.No.150/2002 before the learned III Additional Civil Judge (Jr.Dvn), Belgaum for permanent injunction. Whereas the petitioners have filed the similar suit in O.S.No.156/2002 against one another. Both the suits were clubbed together, and suit filed by the private respondent in O.S.No.150/2002 came to be dismissed, while the suit O.S.No.156/2002 filed by the petitioners came to be decreed vide common judgment and decree dated 30.06.2005. It is stated that the private respondents have preferred the appeals in RA.Nos.757/2009 and 726/2009. It is stated that both the appeals came to be dismissed vide order dated 21.09.2010 on the file of Fast Track Court and I Additional District Court, Belgaum. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioners produced the copy of the judgment and decree in RA.No.726/2009, to contend that, the suit schedule properties in respect of which the suit of the petitioners in O.S.No.156/2002 came to be decreed in respect of Sy.No.239/B, measuring 4 acres and in Sy.No.239/C - 10 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:4901 WP No. 64152 of 2011 measuring 3.05 acres, situate at Kallehol village, Belgaum taluk. 5. Respondent No.67 passed the impugned order when the suits in O.S.No.150/2002 and 156/2002 were pending consideration before the Civil Court. But the order of the KAT came to be passed on 18.04.2011 i.e. much after dismissal of RA.Nos.757 and 726 of 2009 by the Appellate Court. When the judgment and decree of the Civil Court has reached finality in favour of the petitioner by granting permanent injunction in respect of 4 acres and 3.05 acres of land in Sy.Nos.239/B and 239/C respectively, I do not find any justification for the KAT to pass the impugned order observing that the parties are not precluded to agitate their right before the Civil Court regarding declaration of their title if so advised. If the private respondents are aggrieved by the dismissal of the suit and the appeal, they are at liberty to challenge the same before the higher Courts. But I do not find any reasonable ground for KAT to make such observation forcing the parties once again to approach the Civil Court seeking declaration of their title. - 11 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:4901 WP No. 64152 of 2011 6. It is stated that the private respondents have challenged the order passed in the Second Appeal by preferring RSA.No.6144/2010 C/w. RSA.No.6152/2010 before this Court. Admittedly, these appeals came to be dismissed at the stage of admission by upholding the judgment and decree by the Appellate Court. While dismissing the second appeal, this Court observed that, notwithstanding the dismissal of the appeals, the parties are at liberty to agitate their grievance before the competent authority i.e. Additional Director of Land Records, Belgaum to whom the matter has been remitted by the Joint Director of Land Records. Since the order on the second appeals is dated 02.07.2014, that is much after the order passed by the KAT which is impugned herein, I am of the opinion that the judgment and decree passed by the Civil Court and the liberty reserved by this Court in the second appeals would prevail over the order impugned. 7. Therefore, I am of the opinion that the impugned orders are required to be quashed. Accordingly, I proceed to pass the following: - 12 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:4901 WP No. 64152 of 2011 ORDER (i) The petition is allowed. (ii) The impugned order dated 18.04.2011 passed by the Karnataka Appellate Tribunal, Bangalore in Appeal No.624/2003 vide Annexure-E, and the order dated 12.03.2003 passed by respondent No.67 in No.APL:SR:21:02-03 vide Annexure-D, are hereby quashed. Sd/- (M.G.UMA) JUDGE MKM CT:ANB List No.: 2 Sl No.: 12