HIGH COURT OF DELHI
SWAPNIL GUPTA & ANR. – Appellant
Versus
GOVT OF NCT OF DELHI & ORS. – Respondent
I.A.-9861/2022
NEUTRAL CITATION NO:2022/DHC/005814
Page 1 of 50
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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
%
Reserved on : 20th December, 2022
Pronounced on: 23rd December, 2022
+
TEST.CAS. 59/2022 & I.A. 20925/2022
SWAPNIL GUPTA & ANR.
..... Petitioners
Through:
Mr. Samrat Nigam and Mr. Angad
Mehta, Advocates
versus
GOVT OF NCT OF DELHI & ORS.
..... Respondents
Through:
Ms. Pavitra Kaur, Advocate for R-
1
Mr. Tanmaya Mehta, Mr. Rudrajit
Ghosh and Mr. Ashu Goyal,
Advocates for R-2 and 3
Mr. Rajesh Yadav, Sr. Advocate
with Mr. Karan Nagrath, Ms.
Ruchika Arora and Ms. Niharika
Nagrath, Advocates for R-4
CORAM:
HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDRA DHARI SINGH
J U D G M E N T
CHANDRA DHARI SINGH, J.
I.A. 9861/2022 (u/S 247 ofthe Indian Succession Act, 1925)
1.
The present application has been filed by Respondent No. 4, being
one of the beneficiaries of the Will under probate, under Section 247 of
the Indian Succession Act, 1925 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Act’)
seeking appointment of Administrator of the Estate and assets of Late
Ravindra Kumar Singhvi (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Testator’); and
Digitally Signed By:GAURAV
SHARMA
Signing Date:23.12.2022
18:48:23
Signature Not Verified
NEUTRAL CITATION NO:2022/DHC/005814
Page 2 of 50
also for issuance of temporary injunction restraining the Petitioner,
Respondents No. 2 and 3 from alienating or creating third-party rights
qua the estate and assets of the testator in the above-mentioned Will dated
5th September 2017.
FACTUAL MATRIX
2.
The Testator was married to Respondent No.2 Smt. Amila Singhvi
and out of the marriage two children being Respondent No. 3 and
Respondent No.4 took birth. A Will was executed by the Testator on 5th
September 2017 which was duly registered in the office of Sub-Registrar
V(I), New Delhi vide Registration No. 855 in Book No.3 Vol. No.35 on
pages 40 to 44. The Will was executed in the presence of two witnesses
namely, Mr. Sanjiv Kumar and Mr. Sonu Kumar. Mr. Rishabh Singhvi,
son of the Testator being Respondent No.3 and Mrs. Dhriti Goenka,
daughter of the Testator being Respondent No.4 are the only beneficiaries
under the Will. The Testator left for heavenly abode on 18th May 2021
and subsequent to his death and upon coming to the know about the
existence of the alleged Will, the Respondent No.4 vide email dated 28th
April 2022 addressed to the Executors, objected to the genuineness of the
said Will and sought details of any transactions which have been
undertaken under the said Will. The relevant portion of the email dated
28th April 2022 is reproduced below:
Digitally Signed By:GAURAV
SHARMA
Signing Date:23.12.2022
18:48:23
Signature Not Verified
NEUTRAL CITATION NO:2022/DHC/005814
Page 3 of 50
reference.”
3.
Having received no response to her email dated 28th April 2022,
vide email dated 19th May 2022, Respondent No.4 reiterated her request
of the details of transactions and also requested the Executors to refrain
from accepting any change in the ownership of the assets and properties
without a valid probate of the Will. The relevant portion of the email is
reproduced below:
valid probate of the above mentioned alleged Will.”
4.
On 28th May 2022, an email was forwarded by the Executors to
Respondent No.4 which they received from Respondents No. 2 and 3 by
way of which the details of the transactions pertaining to the Estate and
assets of the Testator were delineated. Vide email dated 31st May 2022,
the Respondent No.4 replied the email dated 28th May 2022, by taking a
serious objection to the transactions already entered into by the
Respondent No. 4 behind the back of Respondent No.3.
5.
Subsequent to this, the captioned probate petition came to be filed
on 1st June 2022 by the executors seeking probate of the Will dated 5th
Digitally Signed By:GAURAV
SHARMA
Signing Date:23.12.2022
18:48:23
Signature Not Verified
NEUTRAL CITATION NO:2022/DHC/005814
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