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2002 Supreme(Kar) 768

Karnataka High Court
Lakshamma - Appellant
Versus
Riyaz Khan - Respondent
Decided On : 12-12-02

Headnote:Admissibility of insufficiently stamped documents in evidence

       KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957 - Section 35 -Admissibility of insufficiently stamped documents in evidence -Xerox copy of agreement produced -sought for marking -held, secondary evidence by way of oral evidence or copy of document insufficiently stamped is not admissible in a suit even though objection to its admissibility cannot be taken under the provisions of Evidence Act.

       [V. Gopala Gowda, J.] - In all those Judgments ratio laid down by the Supreme Court in Jupidi Keshava Rao s case referred to supra is not considered and answered. Therefore, binding precedent is the law declared by the Supreme Court in Jupidi s case on the question involved in this case. The reliance placed upon by the Counsel for the respondent upon the judgments of the Court referred to supra are misplaced and the same do not render any assistance to the respondents. For the reasons stated supra, the petitioners must succeed.

       Cases Referred: AIR 1971 SC 1070; AIR 1961 SC 1655; AIR 1978 SC 1393; ILR 1999 Kar 4634; ILR 1998 Kar 3842; ILR 2002 Kar 3616; AIR 1966 SC 1631; AIR 1997 Raj 155; ILR 2002 Kar 3613.

( 1 ) PETITIONERS represented by their power of attorney holder who are some of defendants in Original Suit have filed this writ petition questioning the correctness of the order dated 2. 11. 2002 passed by the V Addl. City Civil Judge in OS 6674/98 produced at Annexure-E to the petition and sought for issuance of a writ of certiorari to quash the same urging various facts and legal contentions.

( 2 ) THE brief facts are stated for the purpose of considering and answering the rival legal submissions made on behalf of the parties. Respondents 1 to 4 herein have filed suit for permanent injunction on the basis of the alleged agreement of sale dated 28. 2. 1997 said to have been executed by one Mr. Khasim Khan and children. In the said original suit written statement was filed by the petitioners disputing the genuiness of the documents and further contended that they have been in possession and enjoyment of the property bearing Sy. No. 21 of Devarajeevanahalli measuring 2 acres 28 guntas as absolute owners as they have obtained registered sale deed dated 12. 3. 1999 in their favour through the Court on the strength of the Decree obtained by them in OS 21/97 suit for specific performance of contract in respect of the property in question. It is their case that earlier to the said sale deed referred to supra they were tenants of the property and they obtained agreement of sale from the erstwhile owner of the property through his power of attorney holder.

( 3 ) ON the basis of pleadings, the Trial Court framed issues. In support of the claim of respondents 1 to 4, the first respondent was examined as PW-1. During his evidence petitioners raised objection for marking of the alleged agreement of sale dated 28. 2. 1997 and the same was marked subject to objection as per Ex. P. 2. Thereafter, the Trial Court has passed an order on the question of payment of duty and penalty upon the document under the provisions of Karnataka Stamp Act of 1957 by passing the order dated 28. 3. 2000 and they were directed to pay the same, against which order, respondents 1 to 4 filed CRP No. 1828/2000 before this Court questioning the legality of the same which came to be dismissed by order dated 8. 2. 2002. Against the said order Spl. Leave Petition in No. 12084/2002 was filed before Honble Supreme Court wherein the Apex Court confirmed the order passed in CRP by dismissing the SLP vide its order dated 15. 7. 2002. The Review Petition was also filed by respondents and the same came to be dismissed by this Court as per its order dated 15. 6. 2002.

( 4 ) THEREAFTER, respondents 1 to 4 filed memo under Order 8 Rule 10 to reject the written statement of the petitioner on the alleged ground that the same is not filed within time. The said memo was rejected on 18. 9. 2002 by passing a considered order. Thereafter, one more application was filed by the respondents under Sec. 113 CPC which came to be dismissed as withdrawn. The respondents herein have been filing application after application with a view to protract the proceedings to gain time for payment of duty and penalty on the documents and ultimately they failed to pay duty and penalty of Rs. 21,97,900/- upon the document. Since they did not pay the said amount, document Ex. P. 2 was impounded and referred the matter to the Deputy Commissioner for collecting the duty and penalty under the provisions of Karnataka Stamp Act. Thereafter, they adduced evidence and examined one of the respondents PW2 partly.

( 5 ) DURING the course of evidence of the defendants, the counsel for the respondents/plaintiffs sought to confront with the xerox copy of Ex. P2 as respondents to identify the signatures of executant as well as witnesses in the xerox copy of the document Ex. P2. The same was seriously objected to by the petitioners counsel and thus thereafter, the petitioners were directed by the Court below to file written objections for marking the signatures of Executant and witnesses to the document Ex. P2. According














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