[1] This appeal under Section 100 of the Civil Procedure Code is filed by the appellant who was original defendant in the suit filed by the respondent for removal of encroachment alleged to have been made by the appellant and for permanent injunction restraining the appellants, from making any encroachment or causing any unauthorized construction on the suit property.
Since pending the appeal, the appellant expired, this appeal has been prosecuted by his heirs.
[2] It is the case of the respondent in the suit that the suit property bearing Tika No.14/3, Survey No.112, situated at Kadi, District : Mehsana was of the ownership and possession of the respondent by virtue of registered sale deed and the appellant – defendant had unauthorizedly entered upon the land and made construction thereon, that on coming to know about such illegal and unauthorized construction on the suit land, the respondent issued legal notice for removal of unauthorized construction and encroachment from the suit land. However, since the construction was not removed, the suit was required to be filed for removal of unauthorized construction and permanent injunction.
[3] The suit was resisted by the appellant by filing written statement at Ex.11 and it was stated that the appellant had purchased the land from the original owner and it was not correct that the construction which was made was illegal or unauthorized. It was also stated that on the suit land, there was right of way already established for more than 60 years and there was also a pipeline made beneath the suit land and the respondent had never become the owner of the suit land, that the suit was barred by the provisions of the Order-23 of the Civil Procedure Code and, therefore such suit should be dismissed. On the basis of the evidence available on record, the learned trial Judge found that the respondent had proved her ownership of the suit land and the appellant had caused encroachment on the suit land and made unauthorized construction thereon. The learned trial Judge allowed the suit and ordered the appellants to remove the unauthorized construction made on the suit land.
[4] The appellant unsuccessfully carried the matter before the lower Appellate Court by filing Regular Civil Appeal No.31/1990 in the Court of learned District Judge, Mehsana.
[5] Learned Appellate Judge independently examined and appreciated the evidence available on record of the case and recorded finding of the fact to the effect that the respondent had become owner of the suit property and the appellants had no right to the suit property and, therefore, construction made by the appellants on the suit land was unauthorized construction. It was also found by the learned Appellate Judge that the appellants were claiming ownership over the suit property on the basis of the document at Ex.64 whereunder the appellants could not have claimed any right because the said document was of agreement to sell and in the said document, it was clearly stated that the agreement was without possession of the suit property. The learned Appellate Judge, thus, found that the appellants had no right, title or interest over the suit property and observed that the document at Ex.64 created doubt regarding its genuineness and it appeared to be an attempt to defeat the title of the respondent over the suit property. The learned Appellate Judge, thus, found the respondent to be the owner of the suit property and concurred with the findings recorded by the learned trial Judge and dismissed the appeal filed by the appellant by judgment and decree dated 06.11.1992. It is this judgment and decree which is under challenge before this Court in the present Second Appeal.
[6] While admitting the Second Appeal, this Court passed the following order on 23.12.1992.
“Questions Nos.1 to 5 as formulated by the appellant at para- 12 of the memo of appeal, are all substantial questions of law, and Question No.6 as formulated in that para, is in the nature of the final conclusion to be drawn. On those substantial questions of law, this appeal is admitted.”
[7] The substantial questions of law No.1 to 5 stated in the Second Appeal are as under :-
(1) Whether the Courts below are right in law in ignoring document at Ex.96 which is a document of title on the ground that section 90 of the Evidence Act would not permit looking into the said document even though it is exhibited ?
(2) Whether the Courts below were right in not applying the ratio laid down in the judgments reported in AIR 1988, Allahabad, page 57 and AIR 1972 SC page 608 while excluding document Ex.96 from consideration ?
(3) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and on a true interpretation of Section 90 of the evidence Act, the courts below were right in not taking into consideration the document Ex.96 ?
(4) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and on a true interpretation of document Ex.96 and the document of partition, the plaintiff has succeeded in proving title to the land in dispute ?
(5) Whether the Courts below are right in holding that the suit is not barred by the law of Order-2, Rule 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure when the plaintiff – respondent had filed a suit earlier in respect of the same subject matter and the said suit was withdrawn unconditionally?
[8] For consideration of substantial questions of law in the context of the arguments canvassed by learned advocates appearing for both the parties, following few relevant facts in respect of the suit properties are required to be noted.
[8.1] Original owners of the suit property were Shri Chaturbhai Mohanbhai Patel and Shri Raghunath Mohanbhai Patel. They sold the suit property to Shri Amratlal Gopaldas Patel by registered sale deed dated 01.09.1923 at Ex.96. Said Shri Amratlal Gopaldas Patel had no issue and, therefore, the suit property came to be inherited by one Shri Tulsidas Gopaldas who was brother of Shri Amratlal Gopaldas Patel. This suit property then came to the share of grandson of Shri Tulsidas Gopaldas named Shri Indravadan Narayanbhai Patel in partition of the properties of the joint family at Ex.95 which took place in the year 1945. However, as stated by learned advocates for both the parties, the suit property was then sold to the respondent on 24.05.1982 by registered sale deed by one Shri Kiritkumar Krushnalal Barot, who was heir of original owner i.e. Shri Chaturbhai Mohanbhai Patel and Shri Raghunath Mohanbhai Patel. As further stated by both the learned advocates, this very suit property was also sold by registered sale deed dated 31.05.1982 by Shri Indravadan Narayanbhai Patel. Both the abovesaid documents of sale at Ex.69 and 92 have been admitted in evidence and, therefore, on the basis of the above documents, the abovestated facts were pointed out by the learned advocates for the parties.
[9] It appears that the appellants who were claiming the suit property, on the basis of the agreement to sell, had their property adjacent to the suit property. As stated by learned advocate for the appellants, the suit property was used by the appellants and other persons of the area and the appellants, having acquired the right to the suit property have made construction. In the above facts situation, the respondent filed the suit as stated above which came to be allowed, against which Regular Civil Appeal filed by the appellants came to be dismissed.
[10] I have heard learned advocates appearing for the parties.
[11] Learned advocate for the appellants submitted that the respondent had no title to the suit property, because the persons who sold the suit property to the respondent, were heirs of the original owners who had already sold the suit property to Amratlal Patel as back as on 01.09.1923. Learned advocate for the appellants submitted that the appellant had in their favour a registered agreement to sell which was exhibited at Ex.64 and on the basis of the agreement to sell the appellants had all rights to hold and deal with the suit property and, therefore, even if the appellant had entered on the suit property and made some construction, the respondent had no right to file the suit for removal of the construction from the suit property because the respondent did not derive any right, title or interest in the suit property on the basis of the document at Ex.69.
[12] Learned advocate for the appellant further submitted that the respondent purchased the land from the original owners, whereas the appellant got the agreement to sell executed from Indravadanbhai, through whom the appellant could derive better title than the respondent and, therefore, both the Courts below have made serious error in relying upon and considering the document at Ex.69 and in recording incorrect finding of fact that the respondent succeeded in proving the title of the suit property.
[13] Learned advocate for the appellant submitted that the respondent has also filed a suit in respect of the very suit property which was withdrawn unconditionally and, therefore, the present suit is barred by the provisions of Order 23 of the Civil Procedure Code. He, thus, urged that on the substantial questions of law formulated by this Court and this Court, may hold and declare that the respondent did not acquire any right, title or interest over the suit property and consequently, may quash and set aside the judgment and decree passed by both the Courts below.
[14] Learned advocate for the respondent submitted that the appellants are not entitled to raise any of the issues touching to the title of the suit property. He submitted that the appellant had never acquired any title to the suit property. The claim of the appellant in the suit was defended purely on the basis of the agreement to sell at Ex.64. He submitted that on the basis of the agreement to sell, the appellant would not acquire any right, title or interest over the suit property and, therefore, they had no right or interest to enter upon the land, especially when the agreement to sell was without possession. The Courts below have considered the agreement to sell and raised suspicion by observing that such agreement to sell might have been executed just to defeat the right of the respondent. He further submitted that in any case, whether the transaction in favour of the respondent was valid or not could not be called in question at the instance of the appellants in the suit filed by the respondent. He submitted that both the Courts below, therefore, have rightly not taken into consideration the document at Ex.96 because the appellants had no locus standi to challenge the title of the respondent. He submitted that simply because there was agreement to sell in favour of appellants and also the property adjacent to the suit property and simply because the appellants had alleged that people residing in surrounding area had used the property as common property as right of way such could not confer any right, title or interest over the property in favour of the appellants. He, thus, urged to dismiss the appeal on the ground that all the questions which are raised by the appellants are questions of fact and not substantial questions of law. He submitted that in fact the document dated 01.09.1923 was given exhibit number as Ex.96 as the same was old document, but the same could not be read in the evidence because the contents thereof were never proved. He also submitted that the suit of the respondent was not barred by provisions of Order 2, Rule 2 of the Civil Procedure Code because the previous suit was not only between the same party but the issues in the said suit were also not same like questions raised by the appellant in his defence in the present suit and the relief was also not same in the previous suit.
[15] Having heard learned advocates appearing for the parties and having perused the judgment and decree passed by both the Courts below as well as record, I find that the respondent had raised her claim on the basis of the registered sale deed at Ex.69 executed by the original owners. Though it is the case of the appellant that the original owners having sold the land, have no such right or authority to again sell the suit property nor their heirs any right or title to sell the suit property, but in my view, such questions could not be raised in the proceedings of the suit initiated by the respondent, at the instance of and in defence by the appellant. If the question whether the appellant had become the owner by virtue of sale deed at Ex.69 or whether first purchaser Amartbhai had title and interest over the suit property is permitted to be raised in the proceedings of the suit filed by the respondent, then such question touching to the title of the suit property would stand concluded in absence of the other parties and especially, when the other parties at no any point of time questioned the legality of the title of the respondent in the suit proceedings. It is stated by the learned advocate for the respondent that one Shri Kishorchand Gohimal who claimed to have purchased the suit property on 31.05.1982 at Ex.92 from Indravanbhai, grandson of Tulsibhai, whose brother Amratbhai had first purchased the suit land on 01.09.1993, had challenged the title of the respondent by filing separate suit and said Kishorchand lost and the suit was dismissed. Be that as it may in the present suit, the title to the suit property was not in question at the instance of person claiming to be the rightful owner but plea in defence is taken that agreement to sell was executed by grandson of first purchaser and the respondent having purchased the same from the heirs of the original owners had no right, title or interest over the suit property.
[16] So far as document Ex.96 is concerned since contents of which were never proved the Courts below had rightly not considered the same at the instance of the appellants. However, even if Ex.96 was the base for claiming right for the appellant I am of the view unless the agreement to sell at Ex.64 was legally enforced by specific performance and unless the sale deed of respondent Ex.69 is quashed, the appellants cannot claim any right to the suit property.
[17] I find that both the Courts below have considered the documentary evidence on record at Ex.69, 92, 95 and 64 and on appreciation of such evidence both Courts, found that the appellant had failed to prove the title to the property. The Courts below also recorded that the appellant claimed title to the property on the basis of the agreement to sell without any possession, which appeared to be made just to defeat the right of the respondent. Therefore, in my view, the Courts below have not committed any error muchless any substantial error in basing its findings by discarding the document at Ex.96 as consideration thereof was not required because the right, title and interest of the respondent was not challenged by the person holding any document of title prior in point of time by the respondent.
[18] I also find that the suit was not barred by provisions of Order 2, Rule 2 because such suit was not between the same party and the relief was also not the same, like the present suit. It is required to be noted that both the Courts have recorded finding of fact to the effect that the appellants had made encroachment on the suit property by taking benefit of having another property adjacent to the suit property and the appellants had or have entered the suit property without any right, title or interest in the suit property. In view of the findings of fact of the Courts below on appreciation of evidence about title of the respondent to the suit property and about the appellant having no title in the suit land, and still made encroachment thereon, I do not find any error committed by both the Courts below in allowing suit filed by the respondent and also do not find on the basis of the pleadings and evidence available before the Courts that any substantial question of law has arisen for consideration of this Court. Accordingly this appeal is required to be dismissed and the same is dismissed.
[ C. L. SONI, J. ] (vijay)