IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
Prathiba M. Singh, J.
Indu Devi - Appellant
Versus
Indira Devi - Respondent
Regular Second Appeal No. 82 of 2021, Civil Miscellaneous Application No. 41610, 41611, 41612 of 2021
Decided On : 24-11-2021
Fraud - Property Dispossession - Contempt of Court Act, 1972 - [PROPERTY DISPOSSESSION] - [Contempt of Court Act, 1972, Section 12] - The court discussed the statements made by the parties, the execution of the decree, and the limitation period for filing an appeal. The court found that the defendant's claim of fraud was devoid of merit and upheld the execution proceedings seeking execution of the decree dated 5th January, 2012.
Fact of the Case:
The suit was filed by the Plaintiff seeking permanent injunction against dispossession from a property. The Defendants made statements before the Trial Court, and the suit was disposed of as satisfied. The Plaintiff filed an application under Section 12 of the Contempt of Court Act, 1972, which was dismissed. An execution petition was filed, and objections were dismissed by the Executing Court. An appeal challenging the orders was dismissed by the First Appellate Court.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the defendant's claim of fraud was devoid of merit and upheld the execution proceedings seeking execution of the decree dated 5th January, 2012. The present second appeal was dismissed as the impugned order did not call for any interference.
Issues: The issues involved the statements made by the parties, execution of the decree, and the limitation period for filing an appeal.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the defendant's claim of fraud was devoid of merit and upheld the execution proceedings seeking execution of the decree dated 5th January, 2012. The present second appeal was dismissed as the impugned order did not call for any interference.
Final Decision: The present second appeal was dismissed, and all pending applications were also disposed of.
JUDGMENT
Prathiba M. Singh, J. - This hearing has been done in physical Court. Hybrid mode is permitted in cases where permission is being sought from the Court.
2. The present second appeal arises out of the final JUDGMENT dated 12th February, 2020 passed by the ld. ADJ-1, North District, Delhi (First Appellate Court), vide which the first appeal against the order dated 5th April 2012, passed in Suit No. 556/10 and the order dated 8th February 2019, passed in Execution Case No. 54409/2016, has been dismissed.
3. The brief background of the present second appeal is that a suit was filed by the Respondent/Plaintiff Smt. Indira Devi i.e. mother-in-law of Smt. Sindhu Devi- Defendant No.1 seeking permanent injunction against dispossession from the property bearing Old Jhuggi No. CN-272, D Block, Near Milk Dairy, Shahabad Dairy, Delhi (hereinafter, "suit property"). In the said suit, she had arrayed two ladies i.e. her daughter-in-law Smt. Sindhu Devi as Defendant No.1, and Smt. Indu Devi as Defendant No.2. The Defendant No. 2 in the said suit is the Appellant in the present proceedings.
The prayers sought in the said suit were as under:
"a. An order for a decree of permanent injunction in favour of the plaintiff and against the defendants thereby directing the defendants their agents, staffs etc. or any person acting on their behalf not to disposes of the plaintiff from the suit property without due process of law the property bearing Jhuggi No. CN-272, situated D-Block near Milk Dairy Shahibabad Delhi more specifically shown in the red colour in the site plan, in the interest of justice.
b. Any other relief may also be passed in favour of the plaintiff and against the defendants which this Hon'ble Court deems fit and proper under the facts and circumstances of the case, in the interest of justice."
4. The said suit was filed in October, 2010, and on 5th January, 2012, statements were made by the Defendant Nos.1 & 2 before the Trial Court, to the following effect:
"Statement of Sh. Vijay Khanna, Ld. Counsel (D-52-99), for defendant no. 1.
Without Oath
I am the counsel for defendant no.1 in the present case. I have instructions from the defendant no.1 that without prejudice to rights of the defendant no.1 and without admitting the contents of the plaint, she will not dispossess the plaintiff from the suit property bearing no. Jhuggi No. CN-272, D-Block, Near Milk Dairy, Shahbad Dairy, Delhi without following the due process of law.
xxx
DW-2: Statement of Smt. Indu Devi, W/o Sh. Ram Avtar, R/o. Jhuggi, Shahbad Dairy, Delhi.
ON SA
I am the defendant in the present case. Without prejudice to my rights and without admitting the contents of the plaint, I state that except by due process of law, I will not dispossess the plaintiff from the suit property bearing no. Jhuggi No. CN-272, D-Block, Near Milk Dairy, Shahbad Dairy, Delhi."
5. In view of the above two statements made by the Defendant Nos.1 & 2, the Plaintiff also made a statement before the Trial Court to the following effect:
"PW-1: Statement of Smt. Indira Devi, W/o. Sh. Sant Lal Mandal, R/o. Old Jhuggi No.CN-272, Near D-Block Milk Dairy, Shahbad Dairy, Delhi.
ON SA
I am the plaintiff in the present case. I am satisfied with the statement of the defendant no. 2 and counsel for defendant no.1, that they will not dispossess me without following the due process of law from the suit property. Hence, I do not want to proceed further with the present case against defendants. Present case may be disposed off as withdrawn."
6. Having recorded the above statements on behalf of the Defendants as well as the Plaintiff, the suit was disposed of as satisfied by the ld. ACJ, North West, Rohini Courts, Delhi (Trial Court) on 5th January 2012. The order of the Trial Court reads as under:
"It is stated by the counsel for defendant that defendants are willing to give a statement that they shall not dispossess the plaintiff from the suit property without due process of law. Plaintiff also submits that if defendants
AI
The main legal point established in the judgment is that a claim of fraud must be supported by merit, and execution proceedings seeking execution of a decree should be upheld.
A statement made on oath before a trial court is binding, and execution proceedings must proceed as per the decree unless valid grounds for retraction are established.
Ownership cannot be claimed through permissive use without registered documentation, reinforcing the necessity of legal evidence for establishing property rights.
Parties must substantiate claims of property ownership with relevant documents; failure to present such evidence undermines appeal in possession disputes.
The court upheld that a failure to appeal a counter-claim can invoke the principles of res judicata and waive any rights to contest the opposing judgment.
The concept of 'Due Process' and its application in property disputes, as well as the limitations of the court's powers under Article 227 of the Constitution of India.
The court ruled that an appeal against the dismissal of an injunction suit requires a substantial question of law, which was not present, affirming the dismissal.
A suit for bare injunction is not maintainable when the plaintiff’s title is seriously disputed and a cloud is cast over ownership due to prior alienation, requiring a comprehensive suit for declarat....
In a second appeal, the High Court reviews only substantial questions of law, not factual determinations made by lower courts, affirming the principle that concurrent findings of fact cannot be distu....
The court reaffirmed that established ownership protects lawful possession, reinforcing the principle that cultivating tenants cannot be evicted without adherence to statutory procedures.
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