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2023 DIGILAW 1355 (AP)

Thota Adinarayana Reddy v. Thota Ravindranath Reddy

2023-09-27

CHEEKATI MANAVENDRANATH ROY

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ORDER Cheekati Manavendranath Roy, J. - Assailing the order, dated 26-09-2018, passed in I.A.No.910 of 2017 in O.S. No.48 of 2012 on the file of the learned Additional Senior Civil Judge, Ananthapuram, whereby the petition filed under Section 45 of the Indian Evidence Act, to send Ex.A5 disputed document to the Forensic Science Laboratory, Red Hills, Hyderabad, for examination by the Expert, to compare the admitted thumb impressions of the 2nd plaintiff with the thumb impressions on Ex.A5, was dismissed, the instant Civil Revision Petition is filed. 2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned counsel for the respondent. 3. The parties will be referred as they are arrayed in the plaint for the sake of convenience. 4. The plaintiffs 1 and 2 have filed the Suit-O.S.No.48 of 2012 for cancellation of the registered sale deed, which is marked as Ex.A5, dated 05.02.2007. According to the case pleaded by the plaintiffs, the 2nd plaintiff is the absolute owner of the property in question and he has already executed a registered sale deed in respect of the said property in favour of the 1st plaintiff and thereafter, the defendant has fabricated another registered sale deed in respect of the same property by forging the thumb impression of the 2nd plaintiff, as if it was sold by the 2nd plaintiff to the defendant. Therefore, the plaintiffs have filed the Suit for cancellation of the said sale deed. 5. The trial in the Suit commenced. The plaintiffs have adduced their evidence and thereafter, the defendant has adduced his evidence. After closure of the evidence of both the parties, the Suit is posted for hearing arguments. At that stage, the petition under Section 45 of the Indian Evidence Act was filed by the plaintiffs to send Ex.A5 sale deed to the Expert for examination. The said petition was dismissed on the sole ground that the same was filed at a belated stage and the plaintiffs did not take steps to send the document for examination by the Expert at the earliest point of time. 6. Aggrieved thereby, the plaintiffs have preferred the instant Civil Revision Petition. 7. No doubt, there are severe laches on the part of the plaintiffs in filing the petition under Section 45 of the Indian Evidence Act to send Ex.A5 disputed document for examination by the Expert. 6. Aggrieved thereby, the plaintiffs have preferred the instant Civil Revision Petition. 7. No doubt, there are severe laches on the part of the plaintiffs in filing the petition under Section 45 of the Indian Evidence Act to send Ex.A5 disputed document for examination by the Expert. The plaintiffs ought to have, in fact, taken steps to send Ex.A5 for examination by the Expert at the earliest point of time at the time of adducing evidence by them. They did not take any such steps at the time of adducing their evidence. After closure of the evidence of the defendant and at the fag end of the Suit, they have filed the present application under Section 45 of the Indian Evidence Act. Undoubtedly, the plaintiffs are not diligent in prosecuting their Suit. No explanation has been offered for not filing the petition at the earliest point of time and as to why the said petition was filed at the belated stage. Even at the time of hearing the revision petition, when the Court specifically questioned as to what is the reason for not filing the petition at the earliest point of time and for filing a belated petition, no explanation is offered by the learned counsel for the revision petitioners. In fact, there is no answer to the said question. Therefore, undoubtedly, the plaintiffs are guilty of laches and inaction on their part and they are not diligent in prosecuting their Suit. 8. However, that cannot be the sole ground for rejecting the request of the plaintiffs to send Ex.A5 for examination by the Expert. The Suit itself is founded on the ground that Ex.A5 sale deed was fabricated and forged by the defendant as if it was sold by the 2nd plaintiff to him. Therefore, it is inevitable for the plaintiffs to prove that the 2nd plaintiff has not executed the said sale deed and that the thumb impressions on it do not belong to him. Though, the 2nd plaintiff has denied its execution, the defendant still asserts that he has executed the same and that he has put his thumb impressions on it. Therefore, it is inevitable for the plaintiffs to prove that the 2nd plaintiff has not executed the said sale deed and that the thumb impressions on it do not belong to him. Though, the 2nd plaintiff has denied its execution, the defendant still asserts that he has executed the same and that he has put his thumb impressions on it. Therefore, in order to resolve the said controversy involved in the Suit and for effective adjudication of the dispute involved in the Suit, the evidence of the Expert is required to find out whether the thumb impression available on Ex.A5 is that of the 2ndplaintiff or not. The said evidence is also required for the Court to effectively adjudicate the said controversy. 9. The Division Bench of the erstwhile High Court of Andhra Pradesh, in the judgment rendered in the case of Janachitanya Housing Ltd., Ameerpet v. Divya Financiers, AIR 2008 A.P. 163 = (2008) 4 ALD 339 also held that no time could be fixed for filing application under Section 45 of the Evidence Act for sending the disputed signature or writings to the handwriting expert for comparison and opinion and the same shall be left open to the discretion of the Court; for exercising such discretion when exigencies so demand, depending upon the facts and circumstances of each case. 10. Therefore, the mere fact that there is a delay or laches on the part of the plaintiffs in filing the petition cannot be a sole ground to reject the request and when the Court finds that it is essential to send the document for examination by the Expert in the facts and circumstances of the case, the same can be entertained even after at a belated stage. 11. However, in the instant case, considering the severe laches on the part of the plaintiffs, this Court is of the considered view that the petition can be allowed on heavy costs to adequately compensate the defendant. 12. Resultantly, the Civil Revision Petition is allowed. The impugned order is set aside. Petition filed in I.A. No.910 of 2017 in O.S. No.48 of 2012 on the file of the learned Additional Senior Civil Judge, Ananthapuram, stands allowed. 12. Resultantly, the Civil Revision Petition is allowed. The impugned order is set aside. Petition filed in I.A. No.910 of 2017 in O.S. No.48 of 2012 on the file of the learned Additional Senior Civil Judge, Ananthapuram, stands allowed. Ex.A5 sale deed is ordered to be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory, Red Hills, Hyderabad, to compare the thumb impression available on it of the 2nd plaintiff with the admitted thumb impression of the of the 2nd plaintiff and to submit his opinion and report. The said petition stands allowed on payment of costs of Rs.10,000/- to the defendant within fifteen days from the date of this order, failing which, the petition stands dismissed. As a sequel, miscellaneous applications, pending if any, shall stand closed.