IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
Neena Bansal Krishna, J.
Geeta Tandon – Appellant
Versus
Dr. Sunil Gomber – Respondent
CS(OS) 2036 of 2012 & I.As. 11835 of 2018 and 10959 of 2020
Decided On : 10-04-2023
| Table of Content |
|---|
| 1. the plaintiff's claim for property partition. (Para 1 , 2 , 3) |
| 2. background ownership of the suit property. (Para 4 , 5) |
| 3. defendants' objections regarding the plaintiff's claims. (Para 6 , 7 , 10) |
| 4. claims related to alleged mental health of the testator. (Para 8 , 9 , 11) |
| 5. questions surrounding validity of the wills. (Para 12 , 14 , 15 , 20 , 23) |
| 6. legal rights of heirs under hindu succession act. (Para 34 , 35 , 36) |
| 7. final ruling on plaintiff's claims and distribution of the estate. (Para 159 , 160) |
JUDGMENT
Neena Bansal Krishna, J.
1. Plaintiff has sought partition in respect of the property bearing no. F- 3, Vijay Nagar, near Delhi University, Delhi 110009 consisting of two and half Floors on a plot of land measuring 200 sq. yards (hereinafter referred to as "the suit property"), from defendant no. 1 and 2, her brothers.
2. The plaintiff's grandfather late Shri Jai Gopal Gomber, on partition came to India in the year 1947/1948 and purchased the suit property vide the Purchase Agreement dated 02.04.1959 and became the absolute, legal and registered owner of the suit property. A Conveyance Deed was executed in his favour on 31.07.1969.Shri Jai Gopal Gomber along with his two sons namely, Shri Inderjit Gomber and Shri. Surender Pal Gomber resided in the suit property, while his third son, Shri. Hari kishen Gomber lived separately and had no interest in the suit property. Shri. Inderjit Gomber died intestate in March, 1979. A family settlement was arrived at between the legal heirs of Late Shri. Inder Jit Gomber and Shri. Surender Pal Gomber, the uncle of the plaintiff in 1982-1983. As per the terms and conditions of the Settlement, Shri. Surinder Pal Gomber was paid a sum of Rs. 75,000/- out of the funds of late Inderjit Gomber.
3. Sh. Inderjit Singh died and was survived by his wife, Smt. Usha Gomber, daughter Smt. Geeta Tandon/plaintiff and two sons namely Shri. Sunil Gomber/defendant no.1 and Shri. Anil Gomber/defendant no. 2. On the demise of Shri. Inderjit Gomber, the four legal heirs became the co-owners of the suit property with undivided equal share of 25% each in the suit property. The original documents of Title i.e. Conveyance Deed and the relinquishment Deed were kept in the custody of the defendant no.1, being the eldest male member of the family. Smt. Usha Gomber died on 18.06.2012 and her share was divided equally amongst the plaintiff and the two defendants, who became entitled to 1/3rd share each in the undivided property.
4. The plaintiff many a times sought her share from defendants but they refused to give her the lawful share. She wrote an e-mail dated 03.06.2012 requesting for her share, which was replied vide e-mail dated 07.06.2012 and defendant no.1 not only refused to give her share but also threatened to demolish the suit property and for the purpose, the plaintiff believes that the defendants have contacted few builders/ property developers to make the suit property into a four storey building. The plaintiff has thus, filed the present suit for partition and possession of the suit property.
5. The plaintiff had claimed in the plaint that the suit property belonged to her father but admitted in her written submissions that the mother Smt. Usha Gober became the absolute owner of the suit property on the basis of Will executed in her favour by Sh. J.P. Gomber and the property was mutated in her name. The property subsequently was made freehold on 01.10.1997 and registered on 16.01.1998 in the name of Usha Gomber.
6. The defendant no. 1 in his Written Statement took the preliminary objection that that the suit does not disclose any cause of action. The plaintiff got married in 1987 and settled in her matrimonial home. Since then, she has not been in possession of any portion of the suit property. The Court fee had also not been paid in accordance Section 7(IV) (b), Schedule II Article VI of Court Fee Act. Also, the plaintiff has concealed material facts.
7. On merits, he has
AI
Suit for partition - Partial partition not permissible - Admission of parties - Will duly established and cannot be held to be forge or fabricated one.
The main legal point established in the judgment is that the burden of proving a Will rests on the propounders, and when a Will is surrounded by suspicious circumstances, the propounders must offer a....
A registered Will has presumptive validity unless evidence demonstrates its invalidity, and execution shortly before death does not necessarily indicate suspicious circumstances.
The validity of a Will can be upheld despite procedural omissions if supported by sufficient evidence, and a partition suit may be dismissed if barred by limitation.
The validity of an unregistered Will must comply with the requirements of the Evidence Act and the Indian Succession Act. Additionally, non-testamentary instruments must be registered under the Regis....
Partition suits are non-maintainable without impleading all necessary legal heirs. Probate applications remain valid even years after the testator's death, as the right to prove a Will is a continuou....
The court affirmed the validity of a Will and upheld its execution despite claims of suspicion, indicating that the exclusion of a child does not inherently nullify a Will.
The validity of a will is undermined when it is executed under suspicious circumstances, necessitating the propounder to dispel these doubts for the document to be accepted legally.
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