2014 Supreme(Kar) 76
High Court of Karnataka
K.N. KESHAVANARAYANA, J.
Parvathamma
Versus
Shivakumar @ Shivanna & Another
R.S.A. No. 1934 of 2006 (A)
Decided On : 10-02-2014
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellant:B. K. Manjunath, Advocate.
For the Respondents:R1, G.A.K. Gowda, Advocate, R2, Served.
Headnote:CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, 1908 - Section 100: [K.N. Keshavanarayana, J] Second Appeal - Interference - When a finding of the lower Court is not based on any acceptable evidence and if such findings are contrary to the provisions of law, it would be a perverse finding, amenable for correction by the High Court even in the Second Appeal.
HINDU LAW - Adoption: [K.N. Keshavanarayana, J] Adoptee was aged more than 15 years i.e., 17 years - Natural son was alive - No custom or usage was proved - Held, Even if there is a presumption under Section 16 of the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956 as to the compliance of all the provisions of the Act, it is still the burden on the part of adoptee to prove that his adoption though aged more than 15 years as on that date, was valid on account of the existence of custom. It is clear that amongst Lingayaths, residing in this State, there was no custom prevailing prior to the coming into force the Act in 1956, which permitted adoption of a boy aged more than 15 years. There was no judicially recognised custom in that regard. In the case on hand, the first defendant who set up existence of a custom and usage regarding adoption of a boy aged more than 15 years has not shown that such a custom has been judicially recognized. Adoption is not valid.
HINDU ADOPTION & MAINTENANCE ACT, 1956 - Section 10(iv): [K.N. Keshavanarayana, J] Adoption - In the absence of any recognized custom or usage adoption of a girl or boy aged more than 15 years is invalid.
1. This appeal by the plaintiff in O.S.No.277/1989 on the file of the then Principal Munsiff and JMFC, Tumkur is directed against the divergent judgment dated 29.03.2006 passed by the Principal District Judge, Tumkur in R.A.No.514/2004 allowing the said appeal filed by the respondent-defendants by setting aside the judgment and decree dated 13.03.1997, passed by the Trial Court in the aforesaid suit decreeing the said suit and consequently, dismissing the suit filed by her for declaration.
2. During the course of this judgment, the parties herein would be referred to with reference to their ranking in the trial Court.
3. Plaintiff filed the suit in O.S.No.277/1989 for the reliefs that the first defendant is not the adopted son of the plaintiff and her deceased husband Veeranna, as the adoption itself is invalid and consequently, to cancel the adoption deed dated 27.05.1987, registered as document No.30/87-88 in Book No.4, Volume 34 at Page 1, in the office of Sub-Registrar, Tumkur and to intimate the office of Registrar about the cancellation. The plaintiff inter alia contended that she and defendant No.2 are the sisters, while defendant No. 1 is the natural son of defendant No.2; that the plaintiff and her husband Veeranna owned a house property in Hariyappanahalli and also landed properties in Brarnbasandra Village as well as Katenahalli Village of Tumkur Taluk; that the plaintiff and her deceased husband had only one son who died unmarried during the year 1987 at the age of 18 or 19 years; that when the plaintiff and her husband were in mental agony on account of the loss of their son, one B.C.Adveshaiah and the defendants came to her and her husband requesting them to take defendant No. 1 as an assistant to the family of the plaintiff and her husband; that the plaintiff and her husband were illiterates, as such, did not know how to read and write; that taking advantage of the circumstance that the plaintiff and her husband were ?ii deep sorrow as the result of the untimely death of their son, the said B.C. Adveshaiah got a document executed by the plaintiff and her husband alleging that it is a document to help the plaintiff and her husband by defendant No. 1; that the defendant No. 1 with his wife used to reside with the plaintiff and her husband; that during January 1939, the defendant No. 1 commanded the plaintiff and her husband to hand over the management of the family to him on the ground that he is their adopted son and that the adoption is evidenced by a registered adoption deed dated 27.05.1987; that the plaintiff and her husband being innocent and illiterate got the contents of deed read over and found that it was an adoption deed, which has come into existence fraudulently at the instance of the said B.C. Adveshaiah, who is shown to be one of the attesters of the document; that since as on the date of the alleged adoption of defendant No.1, he was aged more than 17 years, he could not have been adopted in view of Section 10 of the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956 (for short 'the Act'); that he coujd not have also been adopted by the plaintiff and her husband prior to 1987 as by that date the plaintiff had a son who died at the age of 18 or 19 years during 1987, as such, the alleged adoption of defendant No. 1 is invalid and therefore, it is liable to be cancelled; that no rights have been derived by defendant No.1 as a family member of the plaintiff and her husband pursuant to the alleged adoption; that no adoption ceremony was conducted either on the date of the alleged adoption deed or prior to it; that subsequent to January 1989, defendant No.1 taking a hostile view against the plaintiff and her husband murdered the plaintiffs husband on 24.09.1989 in his paddy thrashing floor situated in their land at Bramhasandra Village and in connection with the said case, defendant No. 1 is in judicial custody; that the followers of defendant No.1 including his mother-defendant No. 2 are now trying to