PATNA HIGH COURT
Rai, Ahmad and Misra JJ.
Zainuddin Hussain Mirza
Versus
Sohan Lal Pachisia
Appeal from Original Decree No. 334 of 1948 ;
Decided On : DECEMBER 17, 1957
ESTOPPEL - SALE CERTIFICATE - DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY SOLD - PRESUMPTION OF CORRECTNESS - AUCTION SALE - HERITABLE GRANT - ESTOPPEL AGAINST HEIRS OF DECREE-HOLDER.
Fact of the Case:
In 1867, Raja Enayet Hussain executed a will granting a monthly salary to Mt. Bibi Phuso, which was inherited by her husband, Sk. Salamat Hussain, after her death. In 1885, the salary was put up for auction in Execution case No. 7 of 1885 and purchased by Bindraj and Ramchandra. The auction sale certificate stated that the salary was inherited by Sk. Salamat Hussain from Mt. Bibi Phuso. The plaintiffs, successors-in-interest of the auction purchasers, sued the defendants, heirs of Syed Ata Hussain, the decree-holder in the execution case, for realization of the salary, claiming that the grant to Mt. Bibi Phuso was heritable and transferable.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the description of the property sold in the sale certificate was according to the description given by the decree-holder or his authorized agent at various stages of the execution proceeding, including the sale proclamation. The court further held that the property must have been similarly described in the sale proclamation also, and that the auction-purchaser was led to offer a price of Rs. 7,500.00 for it on the basis of that description. The court concluded that the defendants were estopped from challenging the right of the plaintiffs and asserting that the grant to Mt. Bibi Phuso which had been inherited by Sk. Salamat Hussain was not a heritable or transferable grant.
Issues: 1. Whether the grant to Mt. Bibi Phuso was heritable and transferable. 2. Whether the defendants were estopped from challenging the right of the plaintiffs.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the sale certificate is the best evidence to prove what was actually sold and that the description of the property sold as given in the sale certificate was according to the description given by the decree-holder or his authorized agent at various stages of the execution proceeding, including the sale proclamation. The court further held that the property must have been similarly described in the sale proclamation also, and that the auction-purchaser was led to offer a price of Rs. 7,500.00 for it on the basis of that description. The court concluded that the defendants were estopped from challenging the right of the plaintiffs and asserting that the grant to Mt. Bibi Phuso which had been inherited by Sk. Salamat Hussain was not a heritable or transferable grant.
Final Decision: The court dismissed the appeal and confirmed the decree of the trial court.
Rai, J.
1. This appeal was heard by a Division Bench of this Court presided over by Mr. Justice Ahmad and Mr. Justice Misra but, as there was difference of opinion between the two learned Judges, the appeal has been placed be-fore me.
2. In order to appreciate the points raised at the bar before me it is necessary to state briefly the relevant events preceding the institution of the suit which gave rise to the present appeal. On 30-11-1867, Raja Enayet Hussain executed a will by which he made provisions for various persons including one Mt. Bibi Phuso who was born of the womb of a kept mistress of the Raja. The salary of Rs. 200.00 per month granted to Bibi Phuso under the will was paid to her as long as she was alive. After her death there was some agreement between; Syed Ata Hussain, the legitimate son of Raja Enayet Hussain, and Sk. Salamat Hussain, husband of Bibi Phuso by which the latter was accepted to have inherited half of the monthly grant of Rs. 200.00 payable to Mt. Bibi Phuso. On this basis Salamat Hussain was paid Rs. 100.00 per month by Ata Hussain who was in possession of the estate of Raja Enayet Hussain as the sole legatee under the will dated 30-11-1867.
In execution of a decree of Syed Ata Hussain the monthly salary payable to Sk. Salamat Hussain which he had inherited from his wife was put to sale in Execution case No. 7 of 1885. Bindraj and Ramchandra purchased at auction the right sold for a sum of Rs. 7,500. The auction sale was confirmed on 18-11-1885. The auction purchasers and their successors-in-interest were regularly receiving Rs. 100.00 per month as the salary payable to Sk. Salamat Husain which they had purchased at the auction sale. On, 7-11-1933, the successors-in-interest of the auction purchasers sold their right purchased at the auction sale to Babu Santalal, the ancestor of the plaintiffs 2 to 4 and the plaintiff No. 1 for a sum of Rs. 20,000/-. The plaintiffs received Rs. 100/-per month from the estate of. Raja Enayet Hus-sain until June 1939, after which the payment was discontinued by the Court of Wards which was in possession of the properties left by the said Raja. The plaintiffs thereafter instituted the present suit for realisation of Rs. 10,000.00 as per account given below at the foot of the plaint. In the suit the plfts. impleaded the descendants of Syed Ata Hussain through the Manager, Court of Wards, as defendants first party and the heirs and legal representatives of the auction-purchasers as defendants second party. They pleaded, inter alia, that the grant made to Bibi Phuso alias Bibi Pasiunnissa was a heritable grant. According to them, the auction-purchasers had, in Execution case No. 7 of 1885 purchased the right of Sk. Salamant Hussain in respect of his salary of Rs. 100.00 per month which he had inherited from his wife Bibi Phuso. They also pleaded that the defendants first party were estopped from challenging the right of the plaintiffs.
3. The suit was contested by the defendants first party who are the heirs of Syed Ata Hussain. They pleaded, inter alia, that the monthly grant to Mt. Bibi Phuso was intended to last for her life only and that it was neither a heritable nor a transferable grant. It was further pleaded that the arrangement between Syed Ata Hussain and Sk. Salamat Hussain dividing the annuity payable to Mt. Bibi Phuso half and half! was purely a voluntary act on the part of Syed Ata Hussain and could not change the non-herit-ability of the original grant made to Mt. Bibi Phuso. They asserted that the payment had been rightly discontinued by the Court of Wards.
4. The issues framed in the suit on which the parties went to trial were these:
"1. Is the suit as framed maintainable?
2. Have the plaintiffs got any cause of action against the defendants first party?
3. Was the annuity granted to Mosammat Fuso a personal grant merely for her life or was it heritable and transferable?
4. Was Sk. Salamat Hussain entitled to any interest in the annuity of M
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