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2023 Supreme(All) 2173

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
JASPREET SINGH, J.
Rajeev And Others - Appellants
Versus
Majeed And Others - Respondents
SECOND APPEAL NO. 130 OF 1981.
Decided On : 30-10-2023

Advocates appeared:
For the Appellants : G.S. Nigam, Hari Om Singh, Pramod Kumar Pandey, R.K. Misra, R.N. Gupta, S.K. Srivastava, S.N. Pandey, Shailendra Sachan, Uma Shankar Sahai.
For the Respondents: P.L. Mishra, Abhisht Saran, M.A. Khan, Madan Gopal Misra, Mohd Aslam Khan, Mohd. Shubhan, Rahul Kumar Kashyap, Shanu Kashyap.

The court affirmed that previously established compromises governed property rights, and the misrepresentation of record by defendants did not substantiate their claims to a larger share than legally recognized.

Headnote:(A) Uttar Pradesh Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1953 - Section 49 - Cancellation of sale deed - Courts held that defendants only possessed a limited share of 4 Bighas and not half of the property; previous compromise and certified copies duly examined affirming rightful ownership. (Paras 41, 46)

(B) Misstatement of fact - The lower appellate court did not err in stating the absence of signatures from the Copying Department on the certified copies presented by the defendants, leading to upheld decrees. (Paras 10, 36)

Facts of the case:
Plaintiffs sought cancellation of a sale deed executed by defendants on claims that they lacked title to transfer the whole property, relying on a compromise from 1962 indicating limited rights. (Paras 6, 8)

Findings of Court:
The courts found that the defendants did not have the claimed half share and that their sale deed was suspect given the conditions of sale and payment details which were contradictory. (Paras 13, 40)

Issues: The primary questions to be resolved were the ownership rights of defendants and if the suit was barred under Section 49 of the Act. (Paras 10, 41)

Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized the importance of the recorded compromise and certified copies in determining rights over the property; affirmed that the findings of fact should not be disturbed if not perverse. (Paras 44, 46)

Result: Appeal dismissed; judgments of the lower courts affirmed.

Table of Content
1. defendant's second appeal and substantial question of law. (Para 1 , 2)
2. court emphasizes examination of evidence and certified documents. (Para 3 , 26 , 35)
3. factual background regarding sale deed cancellation. (Para 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8)
4. trial court's findings on rights and share. (Para 10 , 11 , 12 , 13)
5. court's agreement with trial and lower appellate findings. (Para 14 , 15 , 24 , 25 , 44 , 46)
6. defendant-appellant's arguments against the findings. (Para 16 , 17 , 18 , 20 , 22 , 23)
7. inferences drawn on the sale consideration. (Para 38 , 40)
8. discussion on section 49 of the u.p.c.h. act. (Para 41 , 45)
9. findings on the non-bar of section 49 and cancellation of the sale. (Para 42)
10. final decision of the court affirming lower judgments. (Para 47 , 48)

JUDGMENT

Jaspreet Singh, J.

This is the defendant's second appeal assailing the judgment and decree dated 29.01.1981 passed by the 3rd Additional District Judge, Kheri dismissing the defendant's first appeal and affirming the judgment and decree dated 20.01.1979 passed in Civil Suit No. 320 of 1977 cancelling the sale deed dated 28th June, 1977.

2. The instant second appeal was admitted by this Court by means of order dated 04.02.1981 on the following substantial question of law which reads as under:-

    "(i) Whether it was open for the Lower Appellate Court to make misstatement of fact by observing that the certified copies filed by the defendant did not bear the signatures of any person of the Copying Department whereas it did bear the signatures of the copiest who also compared the same and the copy had also the date of issue as 10.01.1978?"

3. In order to answer the aforesaid questions of law, it will be necessary to examine the case of the respective parties. For the sake of convenience, the Court shall refer to the parties as they were originally impleaded at the time of institution of the suit.

4. In order to appreciate the controversy involved in the instant appeal, certain brief facts giving rise to the instant appeal is being noticed hereinafter:-

5. The original plaintiffs namely Majeed, Shafaqullah and Dubar instituted a suit before Munsif, Lakhimpur Kheri seeking cancellation of sale deed dated 28.06.1977 executed by Rajjan and Khursheed (original defendants nos. 1 and 2) in favour of Rajeev and Pankaj (minor original defendant nos. 3 and 4 through their father Sri Swami Dayal).

6. The controversy arose in view of the fact that the original defendants Rajjan and Khursheed Ali, their names were not recorded in the plot bearing No. 179 measuring 3.99 acres situate in Village Dauli, Pargana, Kasba and District Kheri, however, upon commencement of the Consolidation Operations in the said village, the original defendants Rajjan and Khursheed had filed their objections under Section 9A (2) of the Uttar Pradesh Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1953 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act of 1953) seeking rights of co-tenancy. The proceedings before the Assistant Consolidation Officer culminated in a compromise dated 04.06.1962 wherein the names of Rajjan and Khursheed on the basis of the said compromise was incorporated in respect of plot No. 179.

7. On the basis of their names having been recorded during the consolidation operations and also in the Khatauni which was prepared in terms of C.H-41 and C.H-45, accordingly, the original defendants nos. 1 and 2 sold their half share in the said plot in favour of the minor original defendants Rajeev and Pankaj for a valuable sale consideration of Rs. 14,000/- by means of a registered sale deed dated 28.06.1977.

8. Being aggrieved against the said sale deed, the plaintiffs instituted the suit for cancellation of sale deed dated 28.06.1977 which was registered as Suit No. 320 of 1977 on the ground that the original defendants nos. 1 and 2 did not have half share in the property in dispute rather in terms of compromise dated 04.06.1962 arrived at between the parties before the Assistant Consolidation Officer, the

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