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1982 Supreme(Cal) 176

High Court Of Calcutta
CHITTATOSH MUKHERJEE, AMITABHA DUTTA
BIHARI LALL LAHOTY - Appellant
Versus
HARENDRA NATH SHARMA - Respondent
A. F. O. D.  377  Of  1975
Decided On : 05/14/1982

Advocates Appeared:
Prabir Kumar Samanta, S.C.MITTAL, SAKTI NATH MOOKERJEE, SK.MANWAR ALI, SUSHIL KUMAR BISWAS

A deed providing for payment of interest on a mortgage created by deposit of title deeds requires registration under Section 17(1)(b) of the Indian Registration Act, 1908.

Headnote:

MORTGAGE - DEPOSIT OF TITLE DEEDS - INTEREST - REGISTRATION - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908, SECTION 17(1)(B) - EVIDENCE ACT, 1872, SECTION 92, SECOND PROVISO - WHETHER A DEED PROVIDING FOR PAYMENT OF INTEREST ON A MORTGAGE CREATED BY DEPOSIT OF TITLE DEEDS REQUIRES REGISTRATION - WHETHER ORAL EVIDENCE IS ADMISSIBLE TO EXPLAIN THE DEPOSIT OF TITLE DEEDS.

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiff had advanced a loan of Rs. 75,000/- to the defendants and had received title deeds of the suit premises as security. The defendants had agreed to pay interest on the loan, but the agreement was not registered. The plaintiff filed a suit for declaration that the property was charged with the payment of the loan and interest and for a decree under Order 34, Rule 4 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

Finding of the Court:

The court held that the deed providing for payment of interest on the mortgage created by deposit of title deeds required registration under Section 17(1)(b) of the Indian Registration Act, 1908. The court also held that oral evidence was not admissible to explain the deposit of title deeds.

Issues: 1. Whether a deed providing for payment of interest on a mortgage created by deposit of title deeds requires registration? 2. Whether oral evidence is admissible to explain the deposit of title deeds?

Ratio Decidendi: 1. The court held that the deed providing for payment of interest on the mortgage created by deposit of title deeds required registration under Section 17(1)(b) of the Indian Registration Act, 1908. The court reasoned that the deed created, declared or limited a right, title or interest to or in immovable property and therefore required registration. 2. The court held that oral evidence was not admissible to explain the deposit of title deeds. The court reasoned that the deed was the repository and appropriate evidence of the agreement between the parties and that oral evidence could not be used to vary or contradict the terms of the deed.

Final Decision: The court dismissed the plaintiff's appeal.

CHITTATOSH MOOKERJEE, J.

( 1 ) THIS appeal is at the instance of the plaintiff in a suit for declaration that the property to which the documents of title mentioned in the plaint relate was charged with the payment of the loan together with interest and costs thereon amounting to Rs. 43,020/- to the plaintiff and for a decree under Order 34, Rule 4 of the Code of Civil Procedure. The defendants had contested the suit. The learned Subordinate Judge, Second Court, 24 Parganas has decreed the suit in part on contest for a sum of Rs. l,851/-, but has dismissed the rest of the plaintiff's claim.

( 2 ) IT is a common case of both parties that on or about the 14th Sept. , 1960 the defendants Nos. 1 to 4 and Jatindra Nath Sharma, the predecessor-in-interests of the defendants Nos. 5 to 14 had entered into an agreement with the plaintiff for sale of their premises No. 39/b, Purna Das Road for a sum of Rs. 1,50,000/ -. On the same data they had received from the plaintiff-appellant a sum of Rs. 5,000/- as earnest money and in part payment of the purchase price. On 22nd Sept. , 1960 the plaintiff had paid another sum of Rs. 70,000/- to the said vendors as advance and the latter in their turn had deposited with the plaintiff title deeds relating to the aforesaid premises. On 23rd Sept. , 1960, Ext. 2, a document was executed by the parties which inter alia recorded the said fact of payment of Rs. 70,000/- made on 22nd Sept. , 1960 and also another sum of Rs. 5,000/- previously made on 14th Sept. , 1960. The said agreement further recorded that the defendants of the instant suit had deposited their title deeds with the plaintiff with intent to create equitable mortgage or charge upon the aforesaid premises. On tha facts proved in the case we are inclined to hold that on 22nd Sept. , 1960 the defendants and their predecessor-in-interest Jatindra had created a mortgage by deposit of title deeds in respect of the suit premises for a sum of Rs. 75,000-, Further upon true construction of the deed dated 23rd Sept. , I960 we accept the contention of the learned Advocate for the appellant that the deed, Ext. 2, was in its true nature a memorandum recording the said completed transaction of mortgage of the previous date. In fact Mr. Saktinath Mukherjee, appearing on behalf of the defendant-respondents, did not seriously dispute the said contention. It may be noted that it is the case of the plaintiff himself that on 23rd Sept. , 1960 no stipulation was made between the parties for payment or interest in respect of the aforesaid mortgage by deposit of title deeds. Bihari Lall Lahoty, P. W. 1, the plaintiff, in his evidence had inter alia testified when he was ultimately unable to purchase the suit premises he had requested the defendants to return the money. They had asked for time and had entered into an agreement for payment of Rs. 75,000/- by instalments. At that time the defendants had agreed to pay interest and costs as security for payment of Rupees 75,000/-, they had deposited their title deeds of the suit premises with the plaintiff. On 26th August, 1961 the plaintiff and the defendants executed an unregistered agreement which was marked Ext. 3 in the case. The parties by the said agreement declared that the agreement for sale of the premises No. 39/b, Purna Das Road had been cancelled by mutual consent of the parties. The mortgagor by the second clause of the said document agreed to repay to the mortgagee the said principal sum of Rs. 75,000/- by three instalments mentioned in the document and they also agreed to pay interest at the rate of 8% per annum simple and also all costs incurred by reason of having entered into the agreement for sale. Under the said agreement the principal sum with interest was payable in three instalments first of such instalment of Rs. 25,000/- to be paid on or before the 31st August, 1961 and the second instalment of the same amount on or before the 30th Sept. , 1961 and the balance of the principal sum and in










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