Conversion and detinue, a conversion is an act of wilful interference, without lawful justification, with any chattel in a manner inconsistent with the right of another, whereby that other is deprived of the use and possession of it. If a carrier or other bailee wrongfully and mistakenly delivers the chattel to the wrong person or refuses to deliver it to the right person, he can be sued as for a conversion. The action of detinue is based upon a wrongful detention of the plaintiff's chattel by the defendant, evidence by a refusal to deliver it upon demand and the redress claimed is not damages for the wrong but the return of the chattel or its value. If a bailee unlawfully or negligently loses or parts with possession he cannot get rid of his contractual liability to restore the bailor's property on the termination of the bailment and if he fails to do, he may be sued in detinue, Dhian Singh Sobha Singh v. Union of India, AIR 1958 SC 274 (278).
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