IMPORTANT POINT
Two peculiar features of bond, as distinct from promissory note, are that it must be attested by a witness and it must not be payable to order or bearer.

Krishn Kumar Lahoti, J.—This petition is directed against an order dated 16.4.2008 by the Additional District Judge, Panna in Civil Suit No. 29A/2007, by which the Court found that document in question was promissory note, not an agreement for payment of remaining consideration of sale and was on a proper stamp duty. Holding it, the Trial Court found that the document can be received in evidence.

2. Learned counsel for petitioner submitted that in fact the document in question was a ‘bond’ and not a ‘promissory note’. From the language of document it is apparent that a definite amount of money was promised to be paid to the plaintiff/respondent with a condition that only after payment of the amount the defendant shall be entitled for mutation in the revenue record. If the defendant effects mutation without such payment then the plaintiff would be entitled to object the mutation and for declaration of sale deed as void. The document was signed by both the parties and also attested by two witnesses, so it falls within the purview of “bond” as defined under Section 2(5) of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899. He has also placed reliance to a Full Bench judgment of this Court in Sant Singh v. Madandas Panika & Anr.1 and submitted that this writ petition be allowed, impugned order be set aside, the document in question be declared as bond, the Trial Court be directed to impound it and only after recovery of duty and penalty it be permitted to be received in evidence.

3. Learned counsel for plaintiff/respondent No.1 opposed the contention and submitted that in fact the document in question is a “promissory note” by which the defendant agreed to pay unpaid consideration of sale deed to the plaintiff, though it was signed by the parties and attested by witnesses, but it does not fall within the purview of bond. In the alternative, it was argued by Shri Pareek that is an agreement for payment of unpaid consideration. He placed reliance to Full Bench judgment of Delhi High Court in the matter of Hamdard Dawakhana (Wakf) Delhi C. Reference (AIR 1968 Delhi1) and submitted that this writ petition be dismissed with costs.

4. To appreciate the rival contention of the parties, it would be appropriate if the document in question is referred which reads thus:

bdjkjukek

bdjkjdrkZ % Hkh’er ik.Ms; ru; Jh jekdkUr ik.Ms; mez 46 lky fuoklh xzke feylk;a rglhy o ftyk iUuk e- iz-A

bdjkjxzghark % QqYyk ru; xqcjk pekj mez 60 lky fuoklh xzke fHkylk;a rglhy o ftyk iUuk e- ç-A

tks fd eq> bdjkjdrkZ us bdjkjxzghark ds “kkfey [kkrs dh vjth uEcj 3581@2 jdok 0-98 gs- yxkuh 1-45 :i;k fLFkr xzke fHkylk;a i-g-ua- 33 rglhy o ftyk iUuk dh tks Hkw vf/kdkj _.k iqfLrkd ds Øekad vks 120-95 ij ntZ gS] eSusa bdjkjxzghrk ,oa mlds lg [kkrsnkj Jh xqVBw ru; Fkkspu pekj ls Ø; dh gS vkSj mldk iath;u vkt fnukad dks jftLVMZ djk fy;k gSA

pwafd eq> bdjkjdrkZ us bdjkjxzghrk fd foØ; dh jde esa ls ek= 20-000@& :i;k fn;s gaS vkSj lg[kkrsnkj ds :i esa xqVBw ru; xqcjk pekj dks fcØh dh leLr jde ns nh gS D;ksafd mä vkjkth esa ek= 0-32 vkjs ij xqVBw dk fgLlk Fkk blls mlds foØ; dh jde iw.kZ pqdrk gks pqdh gS ek= “ks’k cph vkjkth dk 0-66 vkjs dk jftLVMZ dj fn;k gSA pwafd eq> bdjkjdrkZ ds ikl bdjkjxzghrk dh jde eqo-1]20]000@& :i;k ¼,d yk[k chl gtkj :ik;½ nsus dh vHkh O;oLFkk ugha Fkh vkSj uk gh brus :i;ksa dh vHkh O;oLFkk gks ik jgh Fkh blls bdjkjxzghrk ,oa mlds lg[kkrsnkj us iath;u rks jftLVMZ djk fn;k gS ysfdu vHkh foØ; dh jde nsuk ckdh jg x;h gS tks eSa bdjkjdrkZ 1]20]000@& :i;k ¼,d yk[k chl gtkj :i;k½ bdjkjxzghrk QqYyk pekj dks vnk djus ds ckn gh foØ; i= dks ukekarj.k vius uke djkÅaxk rFkk ;g “ks’k cph jde ,d yk[k chl gtkj :i;k esa bdjkjdrkZ Hkh’er ik.Ms;] bdjkjxzghrk QqYyk pekj dks vnk vkt ls ,d o’kZ ;kfu dh vizSy 2002 rd vnk dj pqdrk dh jlhn izkIr dj ywaxk] vkSj mlds ckn gh nkf[kr [kkfjt ¼ukekarj.k½ vius uke djkÅaxkA vxj eSa bdjkjdrkZ mä jde vnk djus ds iwoZ ukekarj.k dk;Zokgh djrk gw¡ rks bdjkjxzghrk dks vf/kdkj gksxk fd og mDr ukekrj.k esa jksd yxkos ,oa vkifÙk djsa rFkk foØ; i= dks “kwU; ?kk