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2023 Supreme(Online)(Chh) 14379

CHHATTISGARH HIGH COURT
Mr. Sanjay K. Agrawal, J
Upasna Gupta v. Girish Chandra Gupta
Civil Appeal No. 142 of 2017



The court reaffirmed the validity of the Will executed by the testator, establishing that it was made voluntarily, satisfying legal requirements.

Headnote:(A) Succession Act - Validity of Will - Sections 63 and 68 - The appellant/plaintiff contested the validity of a Will executed by the testator in their favour; the court affirmed that the Will was executed voluntarily and with requisite formalities. Key evidentiary requirements were satisfied by the appellant. (Paras 19, 20, 24)

(B) Family Arrangement - Parties to a family arrangement cannot contest the genuineness of the properties settled therein after signing it, which supports the Will's validity. (Paras 16, 18)

Facts of the case:
The appellant claimed ownership of a house based on a Will executed by Late Atmaram Gupta, which was contested by the respondents who claimed ancestral rights.

Findings of Court:
The court ruled that the Will was valid, and the trial court erred in dismissing the appellant's suit.

Issues: The main issues involved the genuineness and execution of the Will and the claim of the respondents regarding ancestral rights.

Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized the need for substantiating claims of suspicious circumstances surrounding a Will, affirming that evidence presented by the propounder was satisfactory and led to the conclusion that the Will held legal standing.

Result: The appeal is allowed, setting aside the lower court's dismissal.

Table of Content
1. appellant filed suit based on executed will for property. (Para 1)

1. Present appeal is filed by the appellant / plaintiff against the judgment and decree dated 28 November 2016 passed by the learned First Additional District Judge, Bilaspur in Civil Suit No.1A / 2013 whereby the suit preferred by the appellant / plaintiff was dismissed.

2(a) Brief facts of the case are that the appellant / plaintiff filed a suit interalia stating that the suit house bearing No. C - 346 (New Number - 203) situated at Mouja Juna Bilaspur, Krishna Nagar Ward No. 27, Bilaspur area 55 x 27 = 3500 sq.ft. which is surrounded by four corners namely by house of Santsoh Sharma in the north, Road in the South, house of Late Adhari Lal Soni in the East, as Gend Ram Sao Marg in the west. The suit house was owned by the testator - Late Atmaram Gupta who died on 03.12.2004. The suit house was constructed by Late Atmaram Gupta who resided over there till his life time. It is pleaded that late Atmaram Gupta had executed a registered WILL dated 28.11.2003 in favour of the plaintiff with respect to the suit house and agricultural land situated at village Mouja Lagra PH. No. 18 R.I. ircle Bilaspur, Tahsil and District Bilaspur. It was further pleaded that after the death of Atma Ram Gupta, the plaintiff became owner of the suit house and came into possession of the same. The defendant No.1 Girish hand Gupta was residing separately during the life time of Atmaram Gupta and was residing at Narmada Nagar, Bilaspur and never resided in the suit house. It was further pleaded by the plaintiff that when the dispute arose between the parties on the issue of execution of WILL, the appellant / plaintiff filed a civil suit bearing No. 34 - A / 2010 in the ourt of 8 ivil Judge, Bilaspur however, the plaint was rejected under Order VII, R.11, PC and presently appeal is pending before the V Additional District Judge, Bilaspur.
2(b). It was further pleaded that even after having knowledge of the WILL, the defendant Nos.1 and 2 had moved an application for mutation of their names in the municipal records before the Municipal orporation i.e. defendant No.3. On the basis of such application of the defendant No.1, the defendant No.3, the orporation had passed the mutation order on 15.12.2010 in favour of defendant Nos.1 and 2. It is stated before passing such mutation order, no notice was ever served upon the plaintiff therefore, the mutation order dated 15.12.2010 is vide ab - iniitio and not binding upon the plaintiff. It is further stated after getting the mutation order in his favour, the defendant No.1 tried to take possession of the said house in the month of July 2011 and was trying to alienate the suit house. It is stated when the appellant / plaintiff came to know about the said mutation order the action of the defendants was challenged by publishing a general notice in the daily newspaper on 29.07.2011. It is also pleaded that despite service of notice upon the defendant No.3 under S.401 of the Municipal orporation Act 1956, no action was taken by them to set aside the mutation order dated 15.12.2010. Thus, the instant suit was filed by the plaintiff for declaration of the title and permanent injunction against the defendants on the basis of WILL dated 28.11.2003.

3(a). After service of summons upon the defendants, the defendant No.1 filed his written statement and denied the plaint averment and submitted that the suit house is situated over a part of abadi bhoomi at Juna Bilaspur, bearing Khasra No.12, admeasuring 24.924 hectare. It was stated the suit house exists from the time of their grand father / great grand father. It was denied that the testator - late Atmaram Gupta alone was the exclusive title holder of the suit house to bequeath it by WILL and the defendant Nos.1 and 2 are title holder in possession of the suit house since their birth. The execution of WILL dated 28.11.2003 by Atmaram Gupta was also denied and it was submitt



































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