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2013 DIGILAW 317 (AP)

Putty Aravind Kumar v. Putty Ashok

2013-04-24

K.G.SHANKAR, L.NARASIMHA REDDY

body2013
JUDGMENT L. NARASIMHA REDDY, J :–– The sole plaintiff in OS No.126 of 2011 on the file of the IX Additional Chief Judge (Fast Track Court), City Civil Court, Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy District, filed this appeal, feeling aggrieved by the dismissal of the suit. 2. The 1st respondent is the brother of the appellant and the 2nd respondent is their father. The appellant filed the suit for the relief of declaration to the effect that he is the owner of the suit schedule premises, bearing Nos.3-6-702 and 703, Street No.11, Himayathnagar, Hyderabad, to the extent of half portion and for perpetual injunction to restrain the respondents from interfering with his possession over the property in premises, bearing No.3-6-703, admeasuring 255 square yards. 3. The appellant pleaded that the entire suit schedule property was held by their grandfather Sri P. Venkata Ratnam, and during his lifetime, P. V. Ratnam executed a Will, dated 4.6.1959, creating life estate in respect of the suit schedule property in favour of his wife - P. Venkata Ratnamma, and vested remainder in his two grandsons i.e., the appellant and the 1st respondent. He further stated that his grandmother Venkata Ratnamma filed OS No.307 of 1983 in the Court of VIII Junior Civil Judge, City Civil Court, Hyderabad, against V. Devidhar Rao, and others, and in that suit, reference was made to Will, dated 4.6.1 959. 4. The appellant stated that Venkata Ratnamma died in 1998 and while he is residing in Premises No.3-6-703, the 1st respondent is residing in the other premises, bearing No.3-6-702. He stated that the respondents in collusion with each other were trying to evict him, on the basis that in a partition that was effected between the 2nd respondent and his mother - Venkata Ratnamma, the premises in 3-6-703, is fell to the share of the 2nd respondent, and the other premises were retained by his mother - Venkata Ratnamma, and that she, in turn, executed a registered Will, dated 4.10.1986, bequeathing her share of the property in favour of the 1st respondent. Countering the basis pleaded by the respondents, the appellant prayed for a decree of declaration and injunction. 5. The 1st respondent remained ex parte. The 2nd respondent filed written statement, opposing the suit. He stated that the property was the self-acquisition of his father - Venkata Ratnam, and that his father died intestate. Countering the basis pleaded by the respondents, the appellant prayed for a decree of declaration and injunction. 5. The 1st respondent remained ex parte. The 2nd respondent filed written statement, opposing the suit. He stated that the property was the self-acquisition of his father - Venkata Ratnam, and that his father died intestate. He has stated that after the death of his father, the property was partitioned between himself and his mother, and the premises, bearing No.3-6-703, fell to his share. It is also his case that his mother, Venkata Ratnamma, executed a Will, dated 4.10.1986, in respect of her property 3-6-702, in favour of the 1st respondent. He has also stated that the appellant, at one point of time, filed OS No.899 of 2001 in the Court of IX Additional Chief Judge, City Civil Court, Hyderabad, for injunction, and that the trial Court declined the relief of declaration of title and to that effect the suit was dismissed, but, a decree to the effect that the appellant shall not be dispossessed from the premises bearing No.3-6-703, except in accordance with law, was passed. In this appeal, the appellant assails the denial of relief of declaration of title. 6. Sri J.S. Raju, learned Counsel for the appellant, submits that admittedly, the property was the self-acquisition of late P. Venkata Ratnam and since the Will was executed by him bequeathing equal shares in favour of the appellant and his brother the 1st respondent, the trial Court ought to have granted the relief of declaration of title. He contends that a specific reference was made to the Will by his grandmother Venkata Ratnamma, in OS No.307 of 1983, and the trial Court ought to have taken the same into account. 7. Sri M. Papa Reddy, learned Counsel for the respondents, on the other hand, submits that the suit schedule property was the self-acquisition of late Venkata Ratnam and that he died intestate. It is also stated that the property devolved upon the wife and son of Venkata Ratnam, and they, in turn, partitioned it. Learned Counsel further submits that the 2nd respondent became the absolute owner of the premises, bearing No.3-6-703, and his mother Venkata Ratnamma, who was allotted premises in 3-6-702, executed a Will, dated 4.10.1986, in favour of the 1st respondent. Learned Counsel further submits that the 2nd respondent became the absolute owner of the premises, bearing No.3-6-703, and his mother Venkata Ratnamma, who was allotted premises in 3-6-702, executed a Will, dated 4.10.1986, in favour of the 1st respondent. He contends that when the sole basis for the claim of the appellant was a Will said to have been executed by Venkata Ratnam, there is no way he could have substantiated the claim without filing the Will and that the effort made by the appellant, to file the Will as an additional evidence at the stage of appeal is nothing but making a false plea. 8. In the suit filed by the appellant herein, for the relief of declaration of title and perpetual injunction, the trial Court framed the following issues for its consideration: (i) "Whether the plaintiff is entitled for to be declared as absolute owner and possessor of half portion of premises Nos.3-6-702 and 703 admeasuring 506 square yards situated at Street No.11 , Himayathnagar? (ii) Whether the plaintiff is entitled for perpetual injunction restraining the defendants and their men from interfering into his peaceful possession of 255 square yards of property bearing Nos.3-6-703 and 702 as pleaded? (iii) What is the effect of filing of OS No.899 of 2001 on the file of IX Junior Civil Judge, City Civil Court, Hyderabad, and also IA No.170 of 2001? (iv) Whether Venkatrathnam died intestate as pleaded by defendants? (v) After the death of the Venkatrathnam his properties bearing Nos.3-6-702 and 703 are devolved on D2 and Venkatratnamma as pleaded by D2? (vi) Whether premises No.3-6-702 is devolved on Smt. P. V. Rathnamma and whether she executed Regd. Will under which the property goes to the share of the D1 as pleaded by the D2? (vii) What is the effect of Regd. Will deed executed by the D2? (viii) Whether P. V. Rathnam executed a Will on 4.6.1959 as pleaded by the plaintiff? (ix) What is the effect of Regd. Document Will Deeds No. 144/96 and 143/96? (x) Whether there is no cause of action for filing this suit? (xi) Whether defendant is entitled for exemplary costs?" 9. There is indeed overlapping of some of the issues, on the other. 10. The appellant was the only witness to depose as PW1. (ix) What is the effect of Regd. Document Will Deeds No. 144/96 and 143/96? (x) Whether there is no cause of action for filing this suit? (xi) Whether defendant is entitled for exemplary costs?" 9. There is indeed overlapping of some of the issues, on the other. 10. The appellant was the only witness to depose as PW1. The documentary evidence filed by him was comprised of the judgment in as No.307 of 1983, the plaint therein and the original valuation certificate marked as Exs.A1 to A3. On behalf of the respondents, DWs.1 and 2 were examined and Exs.B1 to B15 were filed. Out of them, Ex.B1 is Will dated 4.10.1996, said to have been executed by Venkata Ratnamma, in favour of the 1st respondent. Ex.B2 is totally an irrelevant document. It is a Will executed by the 2nd respondent in favour of the appellant. A Will has absolutely no relevance as long as the person, who executed it, is alive. 11. The trial Court denied the relief of declaration of title, but granted perpetual injunction in favour of the appellant. 12. In view of the arguments advanced by the learned Counsel for the parties, the points that arise for consideration in this appeal are: (a) Whether late Venkata Ratnam, the original owner of the suit schedule property, died intestate or has executed any Will? (b) Whether the plaintiff/appellant has proved the claim made by him to the suit schedule property? Point No. (i) 13. The appellant filed the suit against his elder brother and father for the reliefs of declaration and injunction in respect of half of the property left by his grandfather. While according to the appellant, his grandfather Venkata Ratnam executed a Will before he died, the respondent pleaded that Venkata Ratnam died intestate. 14. It is the common case of all the parties that the suit schedule property was the self-acquisition of late Venkata Ratnam. The appellant pleaded that Venkata Ratnam executed a Will dated 4.6.1959, creating life interest in favour of his wife - Venkata Ratnamma and vested remainder in equal shares in favour of the appellant and his brother - the 1st respondent. Whenever a plaintiff in a suit claims rights on the strength of a Will, the first and foremost requirement is that the Will relied upon by the plaintiff, must be placed before the Court. Whenever a plaintiff in a suit claims rights on the strength of a Will, the first and foremost requirement is that the Will relied upon by the plaintiff, must be placed before the Court. Once that is done, it must be proved as required under law. Mere examination of attestors, as required under Section 68 of the Evidence Act, may not be sufficient. The person, who claims the benefit under the Will, must also establish that there are no suspicious circumstances. 15. In the instant case, the appellant did not place the Will at all, before the trial Court. His case throughout, was that original of the Will is in the custody of the 2nd respondent. According to him, the source of information as to the existence of Will is a recital in the plaint in as No.307 of 1983. Barring that, he did not refer to any other evidence. The plaint in as No.307 of 1983 was also filed as Ex.A2. Nowhere in the body of the plaint, there is any reference to the Will. The suit was filed by Venkata Ratnamma against the brother and other relations of her daughter-in-law. The first sentence in that plaint reads: "The plaintiff is the absolute owner and possessor of the premises bearing No.3-6-702 and 703 situated at Himayathnagar, Hyderabad." 16. She did not make any reference to the Will. If the Will pleaded by the appellant were to have been in existence, Venkata Ratnamma would have just life interest in the property and she could not have claimed to be the absolute owner. 17. In the cross-examination of the appellant herein (PW 1), the following information was elicited: "I was three years old in the year 1959. I am not personally aware of execution of Will by my grandfather on 4.6.1959. I came to know about the execution of the said Will when my grandmother filed a suit being OS No.307 of 1983 on the file of VIII Junior Civil Judge, City Civil Court, Hyderabad. I was not assisting my grandmother when the above case was filed. I was also not personally involved in the filing of the case. There is no mention as to the execution of Will dated 4.6.1959 by my grandfather in the body of the plaint but the same is mentioned in the list of documents on Page 5 of Ex.A2, as Document No.2. I was also not personally involved in the filing of the case. There is no mention as to the execution of Will dated 4.6.1959 by my grandfather in the body of the plaint but the same is mentioned in the list of documents on Page 5 of Ex.A2, as Document No.2. It is true that Item No.2 of the list of documents on Page 5 of the Ex.A2, does not mention that the said Will is executed by my grandfather. It is not true to suggest that my grandfather has not executed any such Will dated 4.6.1959. It is not true to suggest that as my grandfather died intestate and that after his death my grandmother and my father became owners of his properties. It is not true to suggest that my grandmother and my father partitioned the suit properties, after my grandfather's death." 18. If the appellant did not have the original of the Will, when the trial of the suit was in progress, he could have examined someone acquainted with the subject-matter. No such witness was examined. When the appellant did not see the Will at all, it is just un-understandable as to how he has taken the following plea in his plaint: "... The reading of the Will deed dated 4.6.1959, categorically says that the entire property under the Municipal Nos.3-6-702 and 703 shall be enjoyed by the late grandmother of the plaintiff and the first defendant and she do not possess any rights to create any such charge over the said property during her lifetime. The recitals further says that after the death of the grandmother of the plaintiff the said property shall be devolved on his two grandsons namely the plaintiff and the first defendant and that both shall have all such legal rights to alienate and create third party charge over the suit property..." As regards the custody of the Will, the appellant stated as under: "...the original might have been in the custody of the second defendant and the second defendant may be called upon to produce the same before this Hon'ble Court." Similar mention was made in the plaint in as No.899 of 2001. 19. Even according to the appellant, there are three beneficiaries under the so-called Will, namely himself and his brother - respondent No.1 and their grandmother, Venkata Ratnamma. The appellant is the youngest of all. 19. Even according to the appellant, there are three beneficiaries under the so-called Will, namely himself and his brother - respondent No.1 and their grandmother, Venkata Ratnamma. The appellant is the youngest of all. Venkata Ratnamma did not make any mention of the Will and she claimed absolute rights over the property along with her son, the 2nd respondent. The 1st respondent always pleaded that (a) their grandfather-Venkata Ratnam died intestate; (b) the property was partitioned between 2nd respondent and their grandmother, and that (c) his grandmother executed a Will in his favour, in respect of property, bearing No.3-6-702. The appellant did not take any step or have access to the so-called Will, during the lifetime of Venkata Ratnamma. Therefore, the inescapable conclusion is that late Venkata Ratnam died intestate. The first point is answered accordingly. Point No. (ii) 20. The answer to the first point would virtually render the second point, almost superfluous. All the same, if the appellant has any other basis for the relief of declaration of title, he can be granted the relief. The declaration prayed for by him is in respect of half share in the suit schedule property. The frame of the suit itself is defective. If he wanted rights over the half share in the suit schedule property, he ought to have filed a suit for partition, provided there did not exist any dispute as to character of the property. If, on the other hand, the plaintiff himself entertained doubt about the character and nature of the property, he ought to have sought the relief, vis-a-vis the entire property. Even if this technical error is to be ignored, the appellant did not place any other material to substantiate his claim. The so-called Will did not see the light of the day for the past several decades. For the first time, he sought to place the same before this Court by filing an application under Order XLI Rule 27 CPC. The application was rejected through a separate order. 21. There is another impediment, which the appellant has to cross. Assuming that late Venkata Ratnam executed a Will creating life interest in favour of his wife Venkata Ratnamma, her limited right enlarged into absolute right by operation of sub-section (1) of Section 14 of the Hindu Succession Act. The application was rejected through a separate order. 21. There is another impediment, which the appellant has to cross. Assuming that late Venkata Ratnam executed a Will creating life interest in favour of his wife Venkata Ratnamma, her limited right enlarged into absolute right by operation of sub-section (1) of Section 14 of the Hindu Succession Act. The disposition made in favour of the appellant and the 1st respondent would not survive the death of Venkata Ratnamma, on account of her becoming the absolute owner. Therefore, this point is answered against the appellant. 22. For the foregoing reasons, the appeal is dismissed. There shall be no order as to costs. 23. The miscellaneous petition filed in this appeal shall also stand disposed of.