Md. Basheeruddin Ahamed v. Shenaz Akther
Case brief
What is this about?
Madras High Court, A.S.No.531 of 2025 (with CMP.No.8140 of 2025), decided 03.04.2025 by N. Sathish Kumar J. Appeal Suit under section 96 CPC against preliminary decree for partition (O.S.No.989 of 2013, XXII Additional Judge, Allikulam, Chennai). Document Ex.B.1 dated 27.06.2006 urged as Will/Hiba by second defendant-appellant; held unproved for want of attesting witnesses (s.68 Indian Evidence Act; s.67 Bharathiya Sakshya Adhinayam), invalid as a Mohammadan-law bequest exceeding 1/3 without heirs' consent, and not a Hiba for lack of acceptance/possession recitals. Appeal dismissed, decree confirmed; disposal via Order 41 Rule 11 CPC. Keywords: partition, preliminary decree, Hiba, Will, Mohammadan law, attesting witness.
What did the court decide?
Even assuming Ex.B.1 is a Will, it cannot be given any validity: as far as disposition of the Will in Mohammadan law is concerned, the bequest shall not exceed 1/3, and consent of the other legal heirs has not been obtained; therefore Ex.B.1 cannot be given any importance.