2023 Supreme(Online)(Del) 19006
DELHI HIGH COURT
SANJAY BHATIA – Appellant
Versus
RAJIVE BHATIA & ORS. – Respondent
RFA(OS)-18/2021
NEUTRAL CITATION NO: 2023/DHC/001319
RFA(OS) 18/2021 Page 1 of 14
*
IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
%
Reserved on: 07th December, 2022
Pronounced on: 24th February, 2023
+
RFA(OS) 18/2021 & CM APPL. 36404/2021
SANJAY BHATIA
..... Appellant
Through:
Mr. Vikram Seth, Mr. Yuvraj Seth
& Ms. Vandana Seth, Advocates.
versus
RAJIVE BHATIA & ORS.
..... Respondents
Through:
Mr. Samrat Nigam, Mr. Sudarshan
Rajan
&
Mr.
Hitain
Bajaj,
Advocates for R-1.
Mr. S.K. Chaturvedi, Advocate for
R-2.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURESH KUMAR KAIT
HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE NEENA BANSAL KRISHNA
J U D G M E N T
NEENA BANSAL KRISHNA, J
1.
Mr. Rajive Bhatia/respondent No. 1, (who is the plaintiff in the
main Suit), had filed suit bearing CS(OS) 600/2017 seeking Preliminary
and Final Decree of Partition in respect of the Property bearing No. 92,
measuring 200 sq. yards, Raja Garden, New Delhi-110027 (hereinafter
referred to as “suit property”).
2.
Shri Ved Prakash Bhatia, father of the parties to the Suit, was the
owner of the suit property having purchased the same vide Sale Deed
dated 21.07.1965. On his demise on 28.01.2007, the property devolved
Digitally Signed
By:SAHIL SHARMA
Signing Date:24.02.2023
11:32:45
Signature Not Verified
NEUTRAL CITATION NO: 2023/DHC/001319
RFA(OS) 18/2021 Page 2 of 14
upon his four legal heirs, namely, Mr. Sanjay Bhatia and Mr. Rajive
Bhatia, (the two sons), Smt. Shanta Bhatia (wife) and Ms. Anita Bhatia
(daughter) in equal share of 25% each, but the property was kept joint and
not partitioned out of deep respect and regard for the mother. The
mother/Smt. Shanta Bhatia, out of love and affection for Rajive Bhatia,
relinquished her 1/4th share in the suit property in favour of Rajive Bhatia
vide Relinquishment Deed dated 11.12.2013 which was witnessed by
respondent No. 3/Anita Bhatia. Rajive Bhatia became the owner of 50%
share in the suit property while appellant and the respondent No. 3 each
became the owners of 25% share each in the suit property.
3.
The respondent no. 1, Mr. Rajive Bhatia asserted that he and
appellant were in occupation of different portions of the suit property and
certain disputes arose between them. Mr. Sanjay Bhatia/appellant, (who is
defendant No. 1 in the main Suit), filed a Suit bearing CS(OS) 2159/2015
seeking Mandatory and Permanent Injunction, wherein he admitted that
the suit property was a self-acquired property of Shri Ved Prakash Bhatia
and that the appellant and the respondents herein were the owner being the
legal heirs of Shri Ved Prakash Bhatia. It was also admitted that the suit
property had not been partitioned by metes and bounds between four legal
heirs.
4.
Since Smt. Shanta Devi had relinquished her 1/4th share in favour
Mr. Rajive Bhatia, he became the owner of 50% share of the suit property,
while Mr. Sanjay Bhatia and Ms. Anita Bhatia became the owners of 1/4th
share in the suit property.
5.
It was further asserted that Shri Ved Prakash Bhatia had left some
moveable properties, included bank accounts LIC Policies, FDRs, Shares
Digitally Signed
By:SAHIL SHARMA
Signing Date:24.02.2023
11:32:45
Signature Not Verified
NEUTRAL CITATION NO: 2023/DHC/001319
RFA(OS) 18/2021 Page 3 of 14
and Debentures, Locker, Jewellery of which the appellant, respondent no.
2/mother and respondent no. 3/sister were in control and they were liable
to render full account of the moveable assets from the date of demise of
Shri Ved Prakash Bhatia, i.e., 28.01.2007.
6.
Thus, the Suit for Partition bearing CS(OS) 600/2017 was filed by
respondent No. 1 claiming Preliminary and Final Dec