IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA
SOUMEN SEN, UDAY KUMAR, JJ.
Mussammat Khatoon Begum (since deceased) Muhammad Naseem Lodhi & Ors. - Appellants
Versus
Raja Mohammad Amin & Ors. – Respondents
FA 261 of 2010
Decided On : 06-12-2022
Evidence Act, 1872 - Section 116, 35, 77 - Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 - Section 8 - West Bengal Registration of Births and Deaths Rules, 2000 - Rule 12 - Property - Expiry of lease - Suit for recovery of vacant possession - Plaintiff filed a suit for recovery of vacant possession upon expiry of lease by efflux of time and mesne profits - Held, Burden of proof would mean that a party has to prove an allegation before he is entitled to a judgment in his favour - Defendants have raised issue of non-joinder and mis-joinder of parties - Burden of proving fact that plaintiff nos. 2 and 3 are sons of Din Mohammad is on defendants - They have substantially asserted affirmative of issue with plaintiff nos. 2 and 3 but have failed to discharge burden - PW2 and PW3 has produced evidence fairly and reasonably tending to show they are sons of plaintiff No.1 - Defendants tried to create a confusion in mind of court by producing documents whose existence and authenticity are in grave doubt - They took eighteen long years to produce a sham document with sole intention to delay trial - Appeal dismissed.
JUDGMENT :
(Soumen Sen, J.) :
1. The appeal is arising out of the judgment and decree both dated 31st August, 2009 passed by the learned Judge 11th Bench, City Civil Court at Calcutta in Title Suit no. 869 of 1986.
2. The plaintiff filed a suit for recovery of vacant possession upon expiry of lease by efflux of time and mesne profits assessed at Rs.10912.
3. Briefly stated, one Motilal Boral executed a registered deed of lease dated 30th September, 1963 in favour of one Md. Allauddin Rangrez the original defendant for a period of 21 years with effect from 21st October, 1963 at a monthly rent of Rs.250/-which was mutually increased to Rs.300/-per month payable according to the English calendar month. By virtue of the said deed the original defendant became a lessee in respect of the suit premises namely premises no. 22, Ratu Sarkar Lane, situated in the city of Calcutta. The suit property was conveyed and transferred jointly in favour of Hazi Ali Mohammad Razuka (hereinafter referred to as ‘Hazi’ the original plaintiff no.1 and his wife Hajaan Lachmi Bibi (hereinafter referred to as ‘Lachmi’) by a registered deed of conveyance dated 23rd April, 1975 executed by Motilal Boral for valuable consideration. Consequent upon the aforesaid sale Motilal served a letter of attornment to the original defendant intimating him of the change of ownership and asked him to attorn the lease in favour of the vendors. The original defendant accordingly attorned the said lease in favour of the original plaintiff no.1 and his wife and paid rent to them. The wife of the original plaintiff no.1 died on 5th February, 1979 leaving behind the original plaintiff no.1 and her two sons, the plaintiff nos. 2 and 3 sons as her legal heirs and representatives. They inherited the interest of the deceased in the property. The original defendant was informed about the death of Lachmi whereupon the rents were being paid to the original plaintiff no. 1 and his sons by the defendant. The rent receipts were being issued jointly by the plaintiffs. The original defendant became a tenant under the plaintiffs. The lease expired by efflux of time on 30th September, 1984. In spite of expiry of the said lease the original defendant failed to deliver the vacant and peaceful possession of the suit premises to the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs alleged that the original defendant failed and neglected to pay the rent in respect of the suit premises for the period from February, 1983 to September, 1984 aggregating a sum of Rs.6000/-. On the ground of expiry of the lease and default in paying the rents the plaintiffs filed a suit for recovery of possession, mesne profits and other reliefs.
4. The original defendant contested the suit by filing written statements. The original defendant in his written statement has stated that upon the death of the plaintiff no.1 his legal heirs was not substituted and accordingly the suit has abated. The wife of the plaintiff no.1 has predeceased the plaintiff no.1. The plaintiff no.1 had no son or daughter and as such under the Mohammedan Law his younger brother Din Mohammad being his only heirs was required to be brought on record. In absence of Din Mohammad Razuka the suit has abated. The original defendant has also stated that Lachmi, the predeceased wife of plaintiff no.1 is survived by her younger sister Musammat Mangi Bibi has inherited her estate according to the share under the Mohamedan Law governing Sunni Sk of Muslims. It was alleged that the plaintiff no 2 and 3 was interested to disinherit Mangi Bibi by wrongly describing themselves as the sons of the plaintiff no.1. It was stated that Din Mohammad and Mangi Bibi are the only necessary parties to the suits and the plaintiffs have no cause of action to file the instant suit. The registered lease specifically states that the term lessor shall include only his heirs, executors, administrators and representatives. It was also specifically agreed and understood that the assignee of the said
Madan Mohan Singh & Ors. v. Rajni Kant & Anr. Reported at 2010 (9) SCC 209
Dolgobinda Paricha vs. Nimai Charan Misra & Ors.
Muddasani Venkata Narsaiah (D) Th. Lrs. V. Muddasani Sarojana reported at AIR 2016 SC 2250
A.E.G. Garapiet v. A.Y. Derderian reported at AIR 1961 Cal 359
H. Siddiqui (Dead) by L.Rs. Vs. A. Ramalingam reported at 2011(4) SCC 240
State of Bihar v. Radha Krishna Singh; 1983 (3) SCC 118
Ravinder Singh Gorkhi v. State Of U.P; 2006 (5) SCC 584
Babloo Pasi v. State of Jharkhand
East India Trading Co. V. Badat and Co.
Badat and Co. v East India Trading Co.
Black’s Law Dictionary as cited in State v Nalini
Mohd. Farooq Abdul Gafur v State of Maharastra
State v Nalini, (1999) 5 SCC 253
Mohd. Farooq Abdul Gafur v State of Maharashtra
Ram Bihari Yadav v State of Bihar
K.S. Nanji & Co. v. Jatashankar Dossa, AIR 1961 SC 1474
Garib Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab reported in 1972(3) SCC 418
The admissibility of public documents requires corroborative evidence to establish claims of familial relationships; civil suits challenging property mutations remain maintainable under specific prov....
Judgments not inter partes can be admissible to show rights in property disputes under the Indian Evidence Act, aiding in establishing asserted ownership despite objections based on inadmissibility.
(1) Secondary evidence – Certified copy of a sale deed could be produced as secondary evidence of public document and could be produced in proof of contents of public document or part of public docum....
The court affirmed that documentary evidence is paramount in establishing familial relationships over contradictory oral testimony in inheritance disputes.
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