Devi Dass
v.
Mohan Lal
(Supreme Court Of India)
Special Leave Petition [Civil] No. 1473 of 1980 | 25-03-1980
1. Special leave to appeal granted.
2. This appeal arises of a proceeding for eviction and the tenant is the appellant before us. Respondent Mohan Lals claim for ejectment was allowed on the ground that the required the disputed premises for his own use and occupation. He purchased the building of which the disputed premises is a part on May 11, 1972 from its original owners Jagiri Lal and Vasudev. The courts below recorded a finding accepting Mohan Lals case of requirement and the High Court affirmed that finding. According to the tenant the sale by the original owners in favour of Mohal Lal was not a bona fide one and had been made with the ulterior motive of evicting the tenant. The tenants case, as set out in the judgment of the appellate authority, was as follows :
Learned counsel for the appellant while challenging the finding of the trial court under issue 1 has further contended that the sale deed Ex. A-1 is a sham transaction and no right, title or interest passed to Mohan Lal under this document. In this context it has also been argued that the sale consideration was not received by Jagiri Lal and Vasudev and in fact Jugal Kishore, father of Mohan Lal executed the sale deed in the name of his son Mohan Lal, acting as Mukhtar of Jagiri Lal and Vasudev and this was done in order to have ground for ejectment created against Devi Dass, as earlier several applications filed by Jugal Kishore as Mukhtar of the landlords, Jagiri Lal and Vasudev for ejectment of Devi Dass, the tenant from the premises in dispute, had failed.
3. The appellate authority rejected the tenants case on the view that tenant could not challenge the validity of the sale deed executed in favour of Mohan Lal because the tenant was not a party to it. We do not think this was a correct view to take. An allegation had been made that in reality there was no sale and the sale deed was a paper transaction. The court had to record a finding on this point. The appellate authority however did not permit counsel for the tenant to refer to the evidence adduced on this aspect of the matter. The High Court also did not advert to it. We, therefore, allow this appeal, set aside the decree for eviction and remit the case to the trial court to record a finding on the question whether the sale of the building to respondent Mohan Lal was a bona fide transaction upon the evidence on record. The trial court will allow the parties to adduce further evidence on the point if the court considers it necessary. We do not disturb the other findings recorded in the suit. After recording the finding, the trial court will dispose of the suit in accordance with law, and expeditiously, if possible within six months. There will be no order as to costs.
2. This appeal arises of a proceeding for eviction and the tenant is the appellant before us. Respondent Mohan Lals claim for ejectment was allowed on the ground that the required the disputed premises for his own use and occupation. He purchased the building of which the disputed premises is a part on May 11, 1972 from its original owners Jagiri Lal and Vasudev. The courts below recorded a finding accepting Mohan Lals case of requirement and the High Court affirmed that finding. According to the tenant the sale by the original owners in favour of Mohal Lal was not a bona fide one and had been made with the ulterior motive of evicting the tenant. The tenants case, as set out in the judgment of the appellate authority, was as follows :
Learned counsel for the appellant while challenging the finding of the trial court under issue 1 has further contended that the sale deed Ex. A-1 is a sham transaction and no right, title or interest passed to Mohan Lal under this document. In this context it has also been argued that the sale consideration was not received by Jagiri Lal and Vasudev and in fact Jugal Kishore, father of Mohan Lal executed the sale deed in the name of his son Mohan Lal, acting as Mukhtar of Jagiri Lal and Vasudev and this was done in order to have ground for ejectment created against Devi Dass, as earlier several applications filed by Jugal Kishore as Mukhtar of the landlords, Jagiri Lal and Vasudev for ejectment of Devi Dass, the tenant from the premises in dispute, had failed.
3. The appellate authority rejected the tenants case on the view that tenant could not challenge the validity of the sale deed executed in favour of Mohan Lal because the tenant was not a party to it. We do not think this was a correct view to take. An allegation had been made that in reality there was no sale and the sale deed was a paper transaction. The court had to record a finding on this point. The appellate authority however did not permit counsel for the tenant to refer to the evidence adduced on this aspect of the matter. The High Court also did not advert to it. We, therefore, allow this appeal, set aside the decree for eviction and remit the case to the trial court to record a finding on the question whether the sale of the building to respondent Mohan Lal was a bona fide transaction upon the evidence on record. The trial court will allow the parties to adduce further evidence on the point if the court considers it necessary. We do not disturb the other findings recorded in the suit. After recording the finding, the trial court will dispose of the suit in accordance with law, and expeditiously, if possible within six months. There will be no order as to costs.
Advocates List
For
For Petitioner
- Shekhar Naphade
- Mahesh Agrawal
- Tarun Dua
For Respondent
- S. Vani
- B. Sunita Rao
- Sushil Kumar Pathak
Bench List
HON'BLE JUSTICE A. C. GUPTA
HON'BLE JUSTICE V. D. TULZAPURKAR
Eq Citation
AIR 1982 SC 1213
(1982) 1 SCC 495
1982 (2) RCR (RENT) 246
1982 (2) APLJ (SC) 33
1982 (1) ARC 358
LQ/SC/1980/135
HeadNote
A. Land and Natural Resources — Eviction and Rent Control — Ejectment — Requirement — Bona fides — Sham transaction — Ejectment decree set aside and matter remitted to trial court to record a finding on the question whether sale of building to respondent was a bona fide transaction upon evidence on record — Land and Natural Resources — Eviction and Rent Control — Ejectment — Bona fides — Sham transaction — Ejectment decree set aside and matter remitted to trial court to record a finding on the question whether sale of building to respondent was a bona fide transaction upon evidence on record — Civil Procedure Code, 1908, S. 11
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