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2023 Supreme(P&H) 3179

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
SANJAY VASHISTH, J.
Savitri Devi – Appellant
Versus
Ashok Kumar – Respondent
RSA-492 of 2019 (O&M)
Decided On : 11-09-2023

Advocates Appeared:
Mr. Jai Vir Yadav, Sr. Advocate with Mr. Rohit Kumar Rana, Advocate and Mr. Aman Gautam, Advocate for the appellant(s).

Headnote:(A) Civil Procedure Code, 1908 - Permanent injunction suit - Dismissal upheld by both lower courts on grounds of failure to prove possession of the suit land and related mortgage issues - Plaintiff's claim of possession invalidated due to lack of corroborative evidence and precedence of mortgage over sale deed - The court affirmed that contradictory statements diminish documentary evidence. (Paras 7, 10, 11)

(B) Injunction relief - Plaintiff must substantiate her claim with prescriptive evidence of possession to entitle her to injunctive relief. Findings of Courts below validated, dismissal upheld as the appeal lacks merit and no substantial question of law raised. (Paras 11)

Facts of the case:
Plaintiff sought a permanent injunction against the defendant for purported interference in possession of land claimed to be sold to her, without valid evidence of possession, as the property was under mortgage with a bank. Inconsistencies in the plaintiff's statements and failure to produce the original sale deed were noted.

Findings of Court:
The dismissal of the suit was affirmed, as the plaintiff could not substantiate her claim of possession and had mixed contradictory claims regarding the delivery of possession.

Issues: The main issues were whether the plaintiff proved her ownership and possession and whether the suit was maintainable in the face of ongoing DRT proceedings.

Ratio Decidendi: The court concluded that mere recitals in the sale deed do not suffice to prove possession if contradicted by evidence, and the prioritization of mortgage incumbency over sale validity was upheld.

Result: Appeal dismissed.

Table of Content
1. plaintiff's claim of ownership and possession. (Para 1 , 2 , 3)
2. defendant's arguments against suit maintainability. (Para 4)
3. court's assessment of possession and evidence. (Para 6 , 7 , 8 , 9)
4. no conclusive evidence of plaintiff's possession. (Para 10)
5. dismissal of appeal; lacks merit. (Para 11)

JUDGMENT

Mr. Sanjay Vashisth, J. (Oral)

Present Regular Second Appeal (RSA) has been filed by the plaintiff - Savitri Devi (appellant herein), against the concurrent findings of dismissal of suit filed by her.

2. Plaintiff - Savitri Devi filed a suit for seeking a decree of permanent injunction against the sole defendant - Ashok Kumar (respondent herein), by stating that she being owner in possesion of the land comprised in Khewat No.150, Khatoni No.186, Rect. No.32, Killa No.5 (7-4), 4 min (1- 16), total measuring 9 Kanals, situated within the revenue estate of Village Rasiawas, Tehsil Bawal, Distrtict Rewari (for brevity, the 'suit land'), is entitled to protect her possession, which was delivered to her vide sale-deed Vasika No.4508, dated 12.12.2011, by the defendant - Ashok Kumar. Plaintiff claims her continuous possession since the time of execution of the sale-deed (Ex.PW2/B) i.e. 12.12.2011.

3. It is further pleaded that mutation No.848, has been got cancelled by Assistant Collector, 2nd Grade, Bawal, due to non-payment of the loan amount by the defendant - Ashok Kumar, which was taken from the Union Bank of India Branch, Rewari. As the defendant did not disclose the actual facts, and no entry of any loan was entered in the Jamabandi, plaintiff filed a criminal case against the defendant and Halqa Patwar namely; Gurdial Singh, under Sections 420 , 467, 468, 471 of IPC, and proceedings regarding the same were pending.

In the meantime, Union Bank of India (UBI) filed a recovery suit before the Debt Recovery Tribunal, Chandigarh (for brevity, 'the DRT') against the defendant - Ashok Kumar, for taking permission to recover the loan from mortgaged suit land.

It is further pleaded by the plaintiff herself that defendant approached to her husband namely; Jeet Ram, for depositing the loan amount of UBI, Rewari, and in lieu of that, defendant promised that he will transfer his total suit land in the name of plaintiff's husband. Under the said promise, husband of the plaintiff handed-over a demand draft dated 01.08.2013, amounting to Rs.16.10 lakhs, to the defendant. Defendant - Ashok Kumar, deposited the said demand draft before the DRT, Chandigarh, and thereafter, filed his objection against the auction. However, later on, defendant became dishonest and withdrew his objection. Now, the defendant wants to grab the said money i.e. Rs.16.10 lakhs paid by the plaintiff's husband through demand draft, and is further keen to see the plaintiff out of the possession of the suit land. Thus, suit for permanent injunction was instituted.

4. In the written statement filed by the defendant, the facts emerged that the suit is not maintainable on several grounds like; non joinder of auction purchaser - Satbir Singh, jurisdiction of confirmation of sale vide DRT, Chandigarh, having been already exercised. It is also pleaded in the written statement that mutation of sale-deed No.848 (Ex.PW2/B), has already been cancelled by AC, 2nd Grade, Bawal, and in fact, no possession was delivered to the plaintiff at any point of time. Even at the time of sale-deed (Ex.PW2/B), plaintiff was not present, thus, question of delivery of possession does not arise.

5. After completion of pleading of the parties, learned Trial Court vide its order dated 20.05.2014, framed following seven issues:-

    "(1) Whether the plaintiff is owner in possession of property mentioned in paragraph no.1 of the plaint? OPP

    (2) Whether the defendants are interfering in the peaceful possession of the plaintiff in the suit property without any right to do so? OPP

    (3) Whether the suit is not maintainable? OPD

    (4) Whether the suit is liable to be dismissed for want of filing

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