Actor recovers property in Kodambakkam after long legal battle

Veteran actor K. Cowndamani recovers property in Kodambakkam after 18-year legal battle with construction firm.

Veteran actor K. Cowndamani on Tuesday recovered a property in Kodambakkam after a long legal battle. He and his family had been in a dispute over the property with Sri Abhirami Foundation, a construction firm, for 18 years.

They had signed an agreement with Sri Abhirami Foundation for raising a commercial complex at a cost of ₹3.58 crore after purchasing a plot of land on Arcot Road in Kodambakkam during 1996-97. However, the company, without abiding by the completion deadline, kept seeking more payments. In 2004, it abandoned the construction, and subsequently, the family took possession of the property. Later, the firm’s men forcibly entered the premises and took possession of the property.

Mr. Cowndamani and his family members filed a civil suit in the Madras High court in 2006 seeking permanent injunction against the construction company and their men and another suit for recovery of possession and damages. The court on March 14, 2024, dismissed an original side appeal filed by the firm in 2021 against a single judge’s 2019 order. It also directed the firm to hand over to the actor the possession of the five grounds and 454 sq.ft of land.

K. Sasikumar, advocate for Mr. Cowndamani, said that last May the Supreme Court had dismissed a special leave petition filed by the firm. In the meantime, the High Court ordered an execution of its order with the help of police protection. On Tuesday, with the help of a bailiff and with police protection, the property was recovered in accordance to the court direction.