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Code Of Civil Procedure

L.K. Prabhu v. K.T. Mathew; 2025 INSC 1364- Order XXXVIII Rule 5 CPC - Attachment Before Judgment - Already Transferred Property

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Code of Civil Procedure 1908- Order XXXVIII Rules 5,8 & Order XXI Rule 58 ; Transfer of Property Act - Section 53- Attachment before judgment under Order XXXVIII Rule 5 CPC could not be extended to the property already transferred. (Para 20)

Code of Civil Procedure 1908- Order XXXVIII Rule 8 & Order XXI Rule 58 - Any claim under Order XXXVIII Rule 8 read with Order XXI Rule 58 CPC must be adjudicated recognizing the protective and procedural nature of attachment before judgment, without prejudicing the pre-existing rights of bona fide third parties. (Para 20)

Transfer of Property Act - Section 53 ; Code of Civil Procedure 1908- Order XXXVIII Rule 8 - Under Section 53(1) of the T.P. Act, the transaction would be voidable only if it is proved to have been made with an intend to defeat or delay creditors -Determination of whether the sale deed is fraudulent is exclusively governed by Section 53 of the T.P. Act and the claim petition procedure under Rule 8 cannot substitute or override the statutory safeguards and requirements of such substantive proceedings. (Para 20)

Case Info

  • Case name: L.K. Prabhu @ L. Krishna Prabhu (Died) Through L.Rs v. K.T. Mathew @ Thampan Thomas & Ors.
  • Neutral citation: 2025 INSC 1364
  • Coram: B.V. Nagarathna, J. and R. Mahadevan, J.
  • Judgment date: November 28, 2025
  • Court: Supreme Court of India, Civil Appellate Jurisdiction
  • Appeal: Civil Appeal arising out of SLP (C) No. 15592 of 2023

Caselaws and Citations

  • Hamda Ammal v. Avadiappa Pathar, (1991) 1 SCC 715
  • Vannarakkal Kallalathil Sreedharan v. Chandramaath Balakrishnan, (1990) 3 SCC 291
  • Rajender Singh v. Ramdhar Singh, (2001) 6 SCC 213; 2001 SCC OnLine SC 784
  • Abdul Shukoor Saheb v. Arji Papa Rao, (1962) 2 SCR 55
  • High Court references noted within Vannarakkal:
    • Paparaju Veeraraghavayya v. Killaru Kama Devi, AIR 1935 Mad 193
    • Veerappa Thevar v. C.S. Venkataramma Aiyar, AIR 1935 Mad 872
    • Angu Pillai v. M.S.M. Kasiviswanathan Chettiar, AIR 1974 Mad 16
    • Rango Ramachandra Kulkarni v. Gurlingappa Chinnappa Muthal, AIR 1941 Bom 198
    • Yeshvant Shankar Dunakhe v. Pyaraji Nurji Tamboli, AIR 1943 Bom 145
    • Kochuponchi Varughese v. Ouseph Lonan, AIR 1952 Travancore-Cochin 467
    • Mohinder Singh v. Nanak Singh, AIR 1971 P&H 381 (contrary view discussed)

Statutes / Laws Referred

  • Code of Civil Procedure, 1908:
    • Order XXXVIII Rules 5–10 (attachment before judgment; especially Rules 5, 8, 10)
    • Order XXI Rule 58 (adjudication of claims/objections to attachment)
    • Section 64 CPC (discussed in cited case law context)
    • Section 136 CPC (mentioned in Rajender Singh context)
  • Transfer of Property Act, 1882:
    • Section 53 (fraudulent transfer)
    • Section 40 (obligations annexed to ownership)
  • Indian Contract Act, 1872:
    • Section 25 (past consideration/antecedent liability as valid consideration)
  • Indian Trusts Act:
    • Section 91 (equitable obligations; transferee with notice)
  • Procedural references: Act 104 of 1976 (1977 amendment) substituting Order XXI Rule 58; linkage via Order XXXVIII Rule 8.
L.K. Prabhu v. K.T. Mathew; Neutral Citation- 2025 INSC 1364- Order XXXVIII Rule 8 CPC - Attachment Before Judgment - Already Transferred Property
L.K. Prabhu v. K.T. Mathew; Neutral Citation- 2025 INSC 1364- Order XXXVIII Rule 8 CPC - Attachment Before Judgment - Already Transferred Property.pdf
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