IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
MOHIT KUMAR SHAH, J.
CWJC No. 1060 of 2021
(4.10.2024)
Ram Lakhan Mandal ... Petitioner
vs.
State of Bihar & Ors. ... Respondents
Bihar Tenancy Act, 1885 – Section 106 – Demolition of house – Raiyati land – Petition has been filed for restraining the respondents from demolishing the house of the petitioner, as also preventing them from constructing the building of Panchayat Sarkar Bhawan on the raiyati land of the petitioner – No proof regarding the land has been produced by the petitioner to show that the same is the raityati land of the petitioner – Petitioner failed to satisfy Court with regard to his right, title and interest in the land in question, inasmuch as neither any cogent proof nor proof of creation of Jamabandi much less any admissible documents have been produced by the petitioner with regard to the same, whereas the Respondent-State has categorically stated that the land in question is Anabad Bihar Sarkar category Land, as has been depicted in the revisional survey khatian, which also shows that the illegal occupants of the land in question are someone else – The solitary rent/malgujari receipt produced by the petitioner is also of the year 2012-13, however, the same does not depict/bear khata and khesra number, pertaining to which the same has been issued apart from the fact that rent receipt can by no stretch of imagination be a proof of the right, title and interest of the petitioner in the land in question – Mere issuance of rent receipts cannot create title to the land and can neither prove title nor possession with respect to the land in question – Any entry in revenue records or creation of Jamabandi does not confer title on a person and that mutation in revenue records neither creates nor extinguishes title, nor does it have any presumptive value with regard to title – Even, mutation entry does not confer any right, title or interest in favour of a person and the same is only for fiscal purpose – Court finds from the extract of revisional survey Khatian that the plot appertaining to is recorded in the name of 'Anabad Bihar Sarkar' and the petitioner has got absolutely nothing to do with it – As far as the prayer of the petitioner regarding restraining the respondents from demolishing his house situated over plot is concerned, the respondents have categorically stated in the counter affidavits filed by them that no house is situated over the land in question – Petitioner has set up a false and fabricated case, only with a view to usurp the government land in an illegal and fraudulent manner, without him being in possession of any cogent and legally tenable document in proof of his right, title and interest over the land in question – Petition devoid of any merit – Writ petition dismissed. (Paras 7, 8, 9 & 11)
Mohit Kumar Shah, J.—The present writ petition has been filed for restraining the respondents from demolishing the house of the petitioner, as also preventing them from constructing the building of Panchayat Sarkar Bhawan on the raiyati land of the petitioner.
2. The brief facts, according to the petitioner, are that a piece of land, admeasuring 13 katha, pertaining to old Khata No.217/new Khata No.866, Old Khesra No.1142/New Khesra No.1559, situated at Mauja-Arga Usuri, Tauzi No.6553, Thana No.86, Thana-Biroul, District-Darbhanga, was settled in favor of one Bilat Mandal, son of late Hiraman Mandal at yearly rent of Rs. 2/- in 1355 fasli, by delivering actual physical possession of the land and by issuance of rent receipt by the ex-landlords, namely, Abdul Mazeed and Abdul Gaffar. The said Bilat Mandal died, leaving behind his four sons, namely, Bathu Mandal, Boven Mandal, Baleshwar Mandal and Keshwar Mandal. The eldest son of the said deceased Bilat Mandal is stated to have become Karta of the joint family and used to pay rent to the ex-landlords. It is further stated that an amicable partition took place amongst the aforesaid four brothers and separate jamabandies were created, including the one bearing Jamabandi No.494 in the name of one Boven Mandal, i.e. the father of the petitioner, who is also known as Bauan Mandal and he used to pay rent to the State of Bihar for which receipts were also being issued. Nonetheless, during revisional survey, new Khata No.866 was carved out of old Khata No.217 and old Khesra No.1142 was renumbered as new Khesra No.1559 to the prejudice of the jamabandi holders.
3. The learned Counsel for the petitioner has further stated that in the year 1997, when final publication was made, the land in question was illegally and wrongly recorded as ‘Dhanhar’ in the name of ‘Anabad Bihar Sarkar’ and in the remark column it was wrongly shown to be in the illegal possession of ‘Kakhan Mandal, Makhan Mandal and Mahendra Mandal. The father of the petitioner had then assailed the renumbering of khesra and khata number by filing a case, bearing case no. 6565 of 1991, under Section 106 of the B.T. Act, before the learned Settlement Officer, Darbhanga on 10.06.1997. Thereafter, the petitioner had made an application before the Circle Officer, Biraul, who requested the Sub-divisional Officer to initiate a proceeding under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, leading to initiation of Case No.334 of 2020, however, on account of Covid-19 pandemic, the functioning of the Court was adversely impeded and the statutory period had expired, hence the said proceedings were closed.
4. The learned counsel for the petitioner has next contended by referring to Annexure-5 to the writ petition that rent receipt has been issued by the revenue officer in favor of the father of the petitioner, showing payment of rent for the period 2012-13, in connection with Jamabandi No.494 and Jamabandi No.494 still exists in the name of the father of the petitioner, hence it is submitted that the land in question is a raiyati land, thus, the possession of the petitioner over the afore-said land should not be disturbed, without first cancelling the jamabandi, existing in the name of the father of the petitioner.
5. Per contra, the learned counsel for the respondent-State has submitted by referring to the counter affidavit filed by the Deputy Development Commissioner, Darbhanga and the District Magistrate, Darbhanga that an enquiry committee was constituted under the Chairmanship of the Sub-divisional Officer, Biraul, vide memo dated 26.10.2022, which conducted a spot enquiry, in presence of the petitioner and other villagers, by visiting the land in question, whereafter a report was submitted, vide memo dated 04.11.2022, wherein it has been stated that the land of Panchayat Sarkar Bhawan, situated at Mauja-Arga Usuri, Thana No.86, appertaining to Khata No.866, Khesra No.1559, admeasuring 96 decimals, is Anabad Bihar Sarkar category
Tripathy Kiran Nath Sharma vs. State of Bihar
Mere issuance of rent receipts does not confer title or establish possession over land; legal title must be substantiated with valid documents.
Revenue records do not confer title; ownership must be established through valid documentation and historical possession.
Revenue authorities cannot adjudicate on ownership rights; long-standing jamabandi entries must be respected and made visible online for administrative purposes.
Failure to admit crucial evidence resulted in prejudice, necessitating remand for reconsideration.
The court affirmed that land classified as 'Banjar Qadim' does not vest in the Gram Panchayat unless proven otherwise, and the presumption of truth in revenue records was upheld, leading to the dismi....
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