IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY, NAGPUR BENCH
V. G. Bisht, J.
Dattaram s/o. Namdev Ingole and ors. – Appellants
Versus
Vishwambhar Bapurao Ingole and ors. – Respondents
Second Appeal No. 259 of 2013 With Civil Application No. 519 of 2013
Decided On : 06-06-2022
Civil Procedure Code, 1908 - Section 100 - Second Appeal -- Substantial question of Law - Appellants-defendants herein are restrained by decree of perpetual injunction from interfering in the possession of the respondents-plaintiffs over their fields prescribed in Part-1 of the plaint -Held, It is more than clear that not only the DW-5 vendor of plaintiff No.1 but adjoining owner of fields of plaintiffs and defendants have clearly deposed about use of way by defendants through suit lands - In court considered opinion, learned Appellate Court committed grave error ignoring material evidence of previous owner, namely, DW-5 Jairam Patil, therefore, impugned judgment and order cannot be sustained and is liable to be interfered with - Substantial question of law formulated by this Court is answered in affirmative - learned Appellate Court committed grave error ignoring the material evidence of previous owner, namely, DW-5 Jairam Patil, therefore, the impugned judgment and order cannot be sustained and is liable to be interfered with.
-Second Appeal allowed
JUDGMENT :
By this Appeal filed under Section 100 of the Civil Procedure Code, 1908, the appellants-defendants have impugned the judgment and order dated 1st April, 2013 passed by learned Ad-hoc District Judge-III, Washim thereby allowing Regular Civil Appeal No. 136 of 2010 filed by appellants-plaintiffs. By allowing the said Appeal the learned first Appellate Court had partly decreed the R.C.S. No. 06 of 2008 (old R.C.S. No. 91 of 2007) and appellants-defendants herein are restrained by decree of perpetual injunction from interfering in the possession of the respondents-plaintiffs over their fields prescribed in Part-1 of the plaint.
2. The parties in the judgment are described as per their original status in the proceedings before the learned trial Judge.
3. The relevant facts for the purpose of deciding this Appeal are as under:
4. According to plaintiffs, there is neither cart way nor foot way through suit lands so as to access or approach the fields of defendants. The defendants being of quarrelsome nature, they filed a false application before Tahasildar claiming their right of way through the suit lands but by order dated 28th August, 2007 and after Spot Inspection and considering the report of Talathi and Circle Officer, the Tahasildar found that there is no such way as claimed by the defendants.
5. The plaintiffs alleged that not only the defendants are obstructing and creating interference in their peaceful possession over the suit lands but also caused damage to udid and Turi crops and thereby further caused damage in the sum of Rs.21,000/-. Therefore, the suit for perpetual injunction and damages.
6. Defendant Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 5 resisted the Suit by filing their joint written statement (Exh.11). At the outset, they admitted the ownership and locations of the landed properties belonging to both the parties. However, they denied that there is no cart way or foot way through the suit lands. They further denied the alleged damages claimed by plaintiffs.
7. By way of additional written statement, according to defendants, originally all the lands belonged to one joint family. Since the time of their forefathers defendants are using the suit lands while approaching their lands, inasmuch as there is no other way.
8. According to defendants, the Order passed by the Tahasildar is in ignorance of law and the same has been assailed before the Sub Divisional Officer, Mangarulpir. If any Order of perpetual injunction is passed against them, they would be put to an irreparable loss and therefore, prayed for dismissal of the suit.
9. Learned trial Judge on the basis of pleadings of both the parties framed six issues and after considering oral and documentary evidence laid by parties dismissed the Suit with costs vide Order dated 29th October, 2010.
10. Being aggrieved by the judgment and decree dated 29th October, 2010 passed by learned Civil Judge, Junior Division, Manora, the plaintiffs preferred Regular Civil Appeal No. 136 of 2010 in the Court of Ad-hoc District Judge-III, Washim. The first Appellate Court also framed six points for determination and by judgment and order dated 1st April, 2013 allowed the Appeal. Being aggrieved by the said judgment and decree dated 1st April, 2013, the defendants have filed the present second Appeal.
11. By an Order dated 13th June, 2014 this Court admitted this Appeal on the following Substantial Question of Law:
Easementary rights of access – Witnesses on record clearly deposed about use of way by defendants.
A party claiming an easement must provide clear evidence of long-standing use, and failure to do so can result in dismissal of the claim.
Concurrent findings of facts and law recorded by the lower courts cannot be interfered with unless found to be perverse.
The existence of an easement of necessity can be asserted if no alternative access exists, obligating the defendant to allow passage through their property.
Private road land - originally the suit land part of the land and that very same land standing recorded in the name of Defendant No. 1 is noted as Private Road. This Plaintiff was not a party to the ....
The judgment emphasizes the importance of substantial questions of law in appeals under Section 100 of CPC and the parameters for interference with findings of fact in second appeals.
The plaintiff must prove the existence of a path through the defendant's land to claim permanent prohibitory injunction. The suit must be framed as per the requirement of Order 7 Rule 3 CPC.
The central legal point established in the judgment is the interpretation of Section 22 of the Indian Easements Act, 1882 and its influence on the court's decision regarding the existence and use of ....
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