High Court of Punjab and HaryanaRSA/1161/1991allowed

(O&M) Chalti Devi v. Inspector Singh

2024-06-24Mr. Justice Anil Kshetarpal29 pages

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E1) Both the Courts below have returned concurrent findings of fact holding:

(i) Plaintiffs surrendered their life estate in favour of defendant- respondent No.1.

-Reference may be made to the Trial Court's findings at page 49 to 53 of the paper book. -Reference may be made to the Lower Appellate Court's judgment - para 14 at page 75 of the paper book.

-Reference may also be made to para 18 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 83 of the paper book.

(ii) Evidence of surrender:

-Reference may be made to para 19 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 85 of the paper book.

-Subsequent conduct of plaintiffs in favour of surrender:

Reference may be made to para 21 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 87 of the paper book.

-These are findings of fact.

-Reference may be made to para 22 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 91 of the paper book.

-No ground for interference in 2nd appeal.

Reference may also be made to the following judgment:

1959 SC 57 Judgment No.1 [Deity Pattabhiramaswamy vs. S. (Para 13) (Case of ownership) Hanymayya and others]

2) ON MERITS None of the plaintiffs appeared in the witness box only their attorneys (their sons) appeared they could not know if the plaintiffs had surrendered their life estate in 1943-so adverse inference to be drawn against the plaintiffs.

-Reference may be made to Para 14 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 75 of the paper book.

-Reference may also be made to Para 15 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 77 of the paper book.

-Further reference may be made to Para 20 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 87 of the paper book.

Reference may be made to the following judgments: 1934 Lahore 63(2) Judgment No.2 [Bishan Das vs. Gurbakhsh Singh (DB) & Anr] 2018(1) PLR 734 Judgment No.3 [Smt. Viniti Sangwan vs. Laxmi Devi] -Reference may be made to Question 1 in para 12 at page 745 of this judgment.

2010 (10) SCC 512 Judgment No.4 [Man Kaur(dead) by LRs vs.

[Paras 14 and 18(c)] Hartar Singh Sangha]

3) The defendants are in possession as shown in the Revenue Records.

( -Reference may be made to para 16 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 77 of the paper book -Entry is "Basharah Malkan Rihayash Yakja Wa Khurd Nosh" (earlier record).

-For 1980-81-"Bawajah Rishtedari -Also "Basharah Malkan, Bila Malkana Mal"

Reference may be made to the following judgment: 1983 Rev. LR 281 Judgment No.5 [Mukat Singh vs. Smt. Jawala (B.S. Yadav) Devi] Para 9 -Entry was "Basharah Malkan Rihayash Yakja" and some were Basharah Malkan.

-Respondents is the same.

-Respondent-defendants are in possession as owners.

-Respondent-defendants are not acting as agents of Kalawati and Makhmuli as pleaded in plaint. -Reference may be made to paras 2 & 3 of the at back of page 5 of the record. Reference may be made to para 17 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 79 of the paper book.

4) Parties are governed by custom Parties are Rajputs and Agriculturists of Ambala Dist.

Admitted by PW-3-Read Chohal Singh - cross examination at page 257 (back) of the record. -Reference may be made to para 18 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 83 of the paper book.

-Reference may also be made to the Trial Court's findings at page 53 of the paper book.

-Reference may be made to Question No.28 of Customary Law of Ambala District (Mr. R.B. Whitehead) 4(A) Even if the parties are governed by Hindu Law, surrender of life estate is recognized.

-Reference may be made to of the Lower Appellate Court's discussion at page 83 (bottom) of the paper book.

-Reference may also be made to the Trial Court's judgment at page 53 of the paper book.

-Reference may be made to the amended written statement at page 41 of the paper bookRespondents' case is of surrender by the plaintiffs.

Reference may be made to the following judgments: AIR 1954 SC 61 Judgment No.6 [Natvarlal Punjabhai and another (Three Judges) vs. Dadubhai Manubhai & others] (Paras 8, 9, 17 & 19- similar case) Followed with approval AIR 1918 PC 196 (Privy Council) Judgment No.7 [Rangasami Gounden vs.

Naciappa Gojnden]

5) Evidence of Surrender:

(i) -Reference may be made to para 19 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 85 of the paper book.

-Reference may also be made to the Trial Court's judgment at page 49 of the paper book.

-DW5, Telu Ram was present at the Pagri ceremony of Bharat Singh when surrender took place.

-Reference may be made at page 301 (back) of the record.

Corroborated by:

-DW6-Hukam Singh (husband of Vidyawati) who was son in law of Kalawati (plaintiff) and Gainda -Reference may be made to page 85 (mid).

(ii) Respondent has been meeting the maintenance expenses of plaintiff.

(iii) Respondent arranged marriages of the three daughters of Bharat Singh & Makhmuli and paying maintenance expenses and also arranged & financed the marriages of Vidyawati and Chalti Devi, daughters of Kalawati, plaintiff.

- Reference may be made to DW2, Bhanwar Singh - (noticed by the Lower Appellate Court in para 19 at bottom of page 85 of the paper book.)

6) Subsequent conduct of Plaintiffs.

(i) Compensation for damaged crops taken by the respondent- defendant.

-Reference may be made to para 21 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 87 of the paper book.

-Defendant's signature is on the revenue stamp in Register brought by PW4, Rameshwar Dayal.

(ii) Part of land was acquired: Compensation was paid to defendant-respondent.

-Reference may be made to page 17 (mid).

& -Reference may be made to passbooks - Ex.D7/1 to DW7/3 (at page 153 of the record).

(iii) Electricity bills in respondent-defendant's name (Sapattar Singh) -Ex.D28 at page 205 of the record, Ex D29 in name of Sappatar Singh) -Reference may be made to Lower Appellate Court's discussion at the bottom of page 89 of the paper book.

7) Finding of fact given after appraising oral evidence:

-Reference may be made to para 22 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 91 of the paper book.

8) Suit is time barred.

-Reference may be made to the finding of the Lower Appellate Court in para 23 at page 93 of the paper book.

Defendant-Respondent has become owner by adverse possession.

-Reference may be made to the finding of the Lower Appellate Court at the bottom of page 23 at page 93 of the paper book

9) Jamabandi is NOT a document of title:

Reference may be made to the following judgment: 1993(4) SCC 349 Judgment No.7A [Guru Amarjit Singh vs.

Rattan Chand & Ors.]

10) Application for additional evidence was rightly dismissed by the Lower Appellate Court.

-Reference may be made to para 12 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 73 of the paper book.

-Document to be produced listed in para 8 of the Lower Appellate Court's judgment at page 67 of the paper book.

Reasons given by the Lower Appellate Court for application: declining the application:

(i) Documents were always available to plaintiff why not produced earlier in Trial Court - Suit filed in 1982 i.e. on 12.10.1982.

(ii) Appeal filed in 1987 and Application under order 41 rule 27 filed in 1990 -Delay is enough to dismiss such applications.

Reference may be made to the following judgments. 1986 (2) PLR 452 Judgment No.8 [Khem Chand & Ors vs.

(Paras 7 & 8) Kamal Kishore] 1976 PLR 398 (SC) Judgment No.9 =1976 SC 1053 (Para 10) [Natha Singh & others vs.

The Financial Commissioner Taxation Punjab & Ors.] 1980 SC 446 Judgment No.10 [Smt. Pramod Kumari Bhatia vs.

Om Prakash Bhatia & Ors.] 2012 (8) SCC 148 Judgment No. 12 [Union of India vs. Ibrahim Uddin ^ (Paras 36 to 49) Anr.] 2017 (4) SCC 760 Judgment No.12 [Satish Kumar Gupta & Ors.

(Paras 19 & 20) vs. State of Haryana & Ors.]"

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