M.Somasankar Vs The Secretary — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

M.Somasankar Vs The Secretary — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Dismissed

Issue for consideration

Whether a writ of mandamus should issue directing the third respondent (Registrar of Co-operative Societies) to hold an enquiry against the working management and administration of the sixth respondent Society, annul the sale deeds in Doc.No.12871/2017, 12872/2017 and 12873/2017 relating to the sixth respondent's property, and direct the fourth respondent (DVAC) to probe the purchases made by the ninth respondent. +1 more

Ratio / Principle

The petitioners must ventilate their grievance before the Civil Court; having approached the writ court without exhausting that remedy, the Court cannot entertain their prayer seeking cancellation of the sale deeds.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court (K. Surender, J.), decision dated 08-07-2026, in WP No.13342 of 2019 with W.M.P.Nos.13455 and 13456 of 2019. Five petitioners, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, sought a writ of mandamus directing the Registrar of Co-operative Societies (third respondent) to hold an enquiry into the working management and administration of the Government Telecommunications Employees Cooperative Society (sixth respondent), to annul sale deeds Doc.No.12871/2017, 12872/2017 and 12873/2017 concerning the Society's property, and directing the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (fourth respondent) to probe purchases made by OTCO International Private Limited (ninth respondent). Learned counsel for the petitioners alleged a colossal fraud: on 20/12/2017 the sixth respondent sold 10 acres and 32 cents to M/s.OTCO International Limited for Rs.10,93,40,906/-, and on the same day OTCO resold the very same property (10.32 acres) to Jesus Ministries for Rs.25,78,91,640/-. Holding: the petitioners must ventilate their grievance before the Civil Court, and without exhausting that remedy the writ court cannot entertain the prayer for cancellation of sale deeds. Result: writ petition dismissed, no costs, connected Miscellaneous Petitions closed.

WP No.13342 of 2019

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 8/7/2026

C O R A M

THE HONOURABLE Mr.JUSTICE K. SURENDER

WP No.13342 of 2019 a n d

W.M.P.Nos.13455 and 13456 of 2019

M. Somasankar

S. Punniakotti

K. Ganesan

S. Chandrasekar

P. Vijayakumar … Petitioners

Vs

The Secretary Multi State Co-operative Societies Room No.244 Department of Agriculture Co-operation and Farmers Welfare Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Krishi Bhawan New Delhi 110 001.

The District Collector (Tiruvallur) Master Plan Complex, NH 205 Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu 602 001.

The Registrar of Co-operative Societies SH 114, Dasspuram Chennai 600 010.

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption No.293 MKN Road, Alandur Chennai 600 016.

The Chennai City Commissioner of Police No.132 Commissioner Office Building EVK Sampath Road, Vepury Periyamet Chennai 600 007.

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WP No.13342 of 2019

Government Telecommunications Employees Cooperative Society rep. By its President Mr.S.Veeraraghavan 37 A Sembudas Street Chennai 600 031.

Sub-Registrar, Avadi Kulakkarai Street Vivekananda Nagar, Near TNHB Avadi, Chennai 600 071.

Jesus Ministries

OTCO International Private Limited 1/1, 21^st Cross, C.M.H.Road Lakshmipuram Halasuru Bangalore 560 008. … Respondents

Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of mandamus to direct the third respondent to hold an enquiry against the working management and administration of sixth respondent Society with a further direction to take appropriate steps to annul the sale deed effected in respect of the property that belongs to the sixth respondent in Doc.No.12871/2017, 12872/2017 and 12873/2017 and direct the fourth respondent to probe on the purchases made by the ninth respondent.

For petitioner … Ms.A.Samyuktha for M/s.Srimathi.V. For respondents … Mr.R.Chakkaravarthy Government Counsel for R.R.2 to 5

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WP No.13342 of 2019

Mr.K.Rajendran for R.6

No appearance for R.R.1, 7 and 8

O R D E R

This writ petition has been filed praying to direct the third respondent to

hold an enquiry against the working management and administration of sixth respondent Society with a further direction to take appropriate steps to annul the sale deed effected in respect of the property that belongs to the sixth respondent in Doc.No.12871/2017, 12872/2017 and 12873/2017 and direct the fourth respondent to probe on the purchases made by the ninth respondent.

Today, when the matter is taken up for hearing, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that a colossal fraud was played by M/s.OTCO International Limited, Jesus Ministries and sixth respondent on the members of the Society. A sale deed was executed on 20/12/2017 by the sixth respondent in favour of M/s.OTCO International Limited in which an extent of 10 acres and 32 cents was sold for Rs.10,93,40,906/-. On the same day, M/s.OTCO International Limited executes a sale deed in favour of Jesus Ministries for the very same property measuring 10.32 acres for Rs.25,78,91,640/-.

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WP No.13342 of 2019

After hearing the arguments advanced on the side of the learned counsel appearing for the petitioners, this Court is of the considered view that the petitioners have to ventilate their grievance before the Civil Court. Without exhausting the same, the petitioners have approached this Court for the relief stated supra and hence, this Court cannot entertain the prayer sought for by the petitioner seeking cancellation of sale deeds.

In the result, this writ petition is dismissed. No costs. Consequently,

connected Miscellaneous Petitions are closed.

(K.SURENDER,J) 8^th July, 2026

mvs. Index: Yes/No Neutral Citation: Yes.

To

The District Collector (Tiruvallur)

Master Plan Complex, NH 205

Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu 602 001.

The Registrar of Co-operative Societies SH 114, Dasspuram

Chennai 600 010.

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption

No.293 MKN Road, Alandur

Chennai 600 016.

The Chennai City Commissioner of Police

No.132 Commissioner Office Building

EVK Sampath Road, Vepury

Periyamet

Chennai 600 007.

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WP No.13342 of 2019

K.SURENDER, J

mvs.

WP No.13342 of 2019

8/7/2026

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