Partly allowed

Yedheti Dhananjaya v. Yedheti Yethirajulu

Telangana HC6 Sept 2013CCCA/204/2001

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

This appeal regarding a partition suit was filed by sons of an original plaintiff who lost the trial despite a decree on ancestral property. The High Court examined evidence for joint family business status and the ownership of properties based on sale deeds and rectification deeds, ultimately allowing the appeal partially. It held the vendor could not alter the vendee's title via a unilateral rec

What did the court decide?

Appeal allowed in part: Property at Item 6 of B schedule was ordered to be partitioned between the parties; the rest of the suit was dismissed.

Yedheti Dhananjaya Vs Yedheti Yethirajulu — Partition | Telangana HC (2013)

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction)

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FRIDAY, THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF AUGUST TWO THOUSAND AND TEN

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PRESENT

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THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE VILAS V. AFZULPURKAR

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CITY CIVIL COURT APPEAL No.204 of 2001

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BETWEEN

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Y. Narsaiah (died) and two others.

... APPELLANTS

AND

Y. Yethirajulu.

...RESPONDENT

Counsel for the Appellants: MR. V.S.R. ANJANEYULU

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Counsel for the Respondent: MR. T.V. RAJEEVAN

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The Court made the following order: JUDGMENT:

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The unsuccessful plaintiffs, whose suit for partition and separate possession of half share in A & B schedule properties was decreed only to the extent of items 1 and 2 of A schedule, which were admitted as ancestral property and aggrieved by the dismissal of the suit for rest of the items,

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preferred this appeal.

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2. For the sake of convenience that parties are referred to as they are arrayed in the suit.

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3. The suit O.S.No.78 of 1990 before the III Senior Civil Judge, City Civil Court, Secunderabad, came to be filed in the following circumstances: (a) The original plaintiff is the elder brother of the defendant.

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It was alleged in the plaint that late Y. Balakrishnaiah had three sons viz. Sankaraiah, Narsaiah and Yethirajulu. The said Sankaraiah went in illatom adoption to his father-in-law - Bandla Balaiah and was brought up there and ceased to have any connection with the family of natural father Balakrishnaiah. The said Sankaraiah had filed a suit O.S.No.1339 of 1982 on the file of the III Additional Judge, City Civil Court, Secunderabad, for partition against Narsaiah and Yethirajulu, his brothers. The said suit was dismissed for default on 16.08.1983 and the restoration petition I.A.No.665 of 1983 was also dismissed. Thereafter, Sankaraiah filed another suit O.S.No.134 of 1989 in the Court of Principal Subordinate Judge, Ranga Reddy District, Saroornagar, also for partition without disclosing the earlier suit.

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In the said suit, Narsaiah and Yethirajulu i.e. plaintiff and defendant herein filed a common written statement asserting that Sankaraiah is not the member of the joint family and he has no right to seek partition.

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(b) The plaintiff further alleged that he and the defendant carried on the ancestral building contract business and business as labour contractors and out of the joint earnings purchased several properties in B schedule. In the plaint, details of how each item of

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B schedule was acquired was mentioned by alleging that each one of them are acquired out of earnings from joint contracts by the plaintiff and the defendant. It was also alleged that for the sake of convenience different

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items were purchased in the name of different individuals, some in the name of the plaintiff, some in the name of the defendant and some in the name of defendant’s wife – Ramulamma. However, all the said properties were always treated and enjoyed as joint family properties. Disputes and differences arose between the plaintiff and the defendant over accounting and dealings of the defendant with respect to some of the B schedule properties and ultimately, with regard to item 1 of B schedule, the defendant unloaded building material and was erecting a dividing wall towards end of March 1990, described as the cause of the action, filed the present suit for partition.

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(c) The defendant filed the written statement accepting that the plaintiff and the defendant filed a joint written statement in the suit O.S.No.1339 of 1982 filed by Sankaraiah and it was asserted by him that item 1 of B schedule jointly belongs to both, the plaintiff and the defendant, while northern side half portion remained the property of the plaintiff, the southern side half portion belongs to the defendant, the central portion wall was constructed by the defendant long prior to the filing of the present suit to avoid unnecessary encroachments and interference by the plaintiff and the other half portion is allotted a separate municipal No.8-1-102/1 and the defendant continues to be in possession and enjoyment of his half. The said item 1 of B schedule is, therefore, not available for partition. With regard to item 3 of

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A schedule, it was denied that it was purchased in the name of the father of the parties by joint earnings. With regard to other B schedule properties it was denied that there was any joint family between the plaintiff and the defendant after 1961 and it was also denied that there was any joint earnings by them by carrying on any joint business.

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The defendant, therefore, states that both of them are carrying on their independent and separate labour contract business, their earnings are separate and the parties have never treated or enjoyed the

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B schedule properties as joint family properties.

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(d) In the written statement, however, each item of B schedule as described by the plaintiff was disputed and it was asserted that item 6 of B schedule is exclusive property of the defendant, though the plaintiff fraudulently obtained sale deed in his name in spite of the fact that the entire consideration was paid by the defendant to the vendor – L. Jagannatham. The defendant also relies upon the circumstance that the said vendor has later executed a rectification deed dated 05.06.1990 marked as Ex.C2 rectifying the description of the vendee as in the name of the defendant and has also filed and given a notarized affidavit Ex.B41. The said vendor was examined as D.W.2. Similarly, other items and properties, particularly, those standing in the name of defendant’s wife – Ramulamma, were denied as joint family properties and asserted that they are her individual properties purchased either out of her Streedhana or out of earnings of the defendant himself. Any existence of cause of action was, therefore, denied and it was submitted that the suit be dismissed.

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(e) Though several questions arise for consideration in view of the pleadings of the parties, the Court below framed only one issue, which was material and decided the suit. The issues framed are as follows:

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1. Whether the plaintiff is entitled for partition, mandatory injunction and permanent injunction as prayed for?

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2. To what relief?

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(f) The original plaintiff – Narsaiah died pending the suit and his sons are brought on record as plaintiffs 2 and 3, who are appellants herein. P.W.1 is the son of original plaintiff and figuring as third plaintiff in the suit whereas P.W.2 is an acquaintance of plaintiff and the defendant and who is said to have employed both of them for reconstruction of his old house in the year 1985. He is examined to show that the plaintiff and the defendant were

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working together. Exs.A1 to A36 were marked on behalf of the plaintiffs and out of that Exs.A1 and A2 are judgment and decree in the suit filed by Sankaraiah in O.S.No.134 of 1989. Ex.A3 is the office copy of the notice issued to the counsel appearing for the plaintiff in O.S.No.134 of 1989 to produce original documents and similarly, Ex.A4 is another notice to produce documents issued to the defendant. Ex.A5 is reply notice to Ex.A3 whereas Ex.A6 is another notice issued by the plaintiff’s counsel to the defendant. Ex.A7 is the certified copy of Ex.B1, which document relates to Sankaraiah’s illatom adoption and we are not concerned with that aspect. Ex.A8 is the certified extract of sale deed relating to item 6 of B schedule; then Exs.A9 to A12 comprises of blank letter head sheets, undertaking by the original plaintiff, statement of work and item-wise quotations of the building work signed by the defendant – these documents are filed to show that the plaintiff and the defendant were doing joint business; Exs.A14 to A17 are agreement of sale, exchange of letters for permission under Section 47 of the Andhra Pradesh (Telangana Area) Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1950 and land revenue receipts – all of which relate to item 13 of B schedule. Ex.A18 is a public notice relating to item 6 of B schedule issued on behalf of the original plaintiff and defendant. Ex.A19 is the legal notice issued by the plaintiff relating to item 6 above. Ex.A20 is the sale deed of the vendor of item 1 of B schedule and Exs.A21 to A36 are the photographs with negatives.

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(g) The defendant examined himself as D.W.1 and D.W.2 was the vendor of item 6 of B schedule, who was examined to speak that the entire consideration for the sale was paid by the defendant and in stead of executing the sale deed in the name of the defendant at the instance of the plaintiff it was executed in the name of plaintiff. The said witness also confirms that he executed a rectification deed later under Ex.C2

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dated 05.06.1990 and has also identified receipts of payment made by the defendant marked as Exs.B37, B38 and B39. He also marked Ex.C1, which is the carbon copy of agreement dated 06.06.1990 in favour of the defendant preceding the sale deed - Ex.A8 relating to item 6 of B schedule. The defendant also marked Exs.B1 to B39, which comprise of several documents concerning the payment of non-agricultural tax, proceedings of the municipal corporation of Hyderabad relating to constructions on the B schedule properties, water tax receipts correspondence relating to water meter with MMWS; Municipal tax receipts etc. apart from certified copies of the sale deeds with plans relating to item 2 and other properties standing in the name of defendant’s wife – Ramulamma are also filed.

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The sworn affidavit of vendor of item 6 of B schedule i.e. D.W.2 is marked as Ex.B41. Similarly, the land revenue receipts and certified copies of adangals relating to agricultural land forming part of

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B schedule as well as orders passed in favour of defendant by the Collector, Ranga Reddy District are also marked and the relevancy of the very documents therefrom will be considered at the appropriate time.

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(h) The Court below while considering the aforesaid evidence found that items 1 and 2 of A schedule are not in controversy between the parties and that being accepted as the ancestral property, the suit was decreed to that extent. So far as item 3 of A schedule and rest of the items of B schedule are concerned, the trial Court considered the evidence adduced by the parties item-wise and ultimately, came to the conclusion that none of the said items can be said to be acquired by either joint business or joint earnings. The trial Court also held that there is no evidence to substantiate the plaintiff’s case that both brothers were jointly carrying on any business and jointly earning incomes and acquiring properties in their individual names or in the name of wife of defendant. The trial Court rejected Exs.A9 to A12 filed by the plaintiff to establish joint business and joint earnings.

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The trial Court also accepted the evidence of D.W.2 and in view of rectification deed - Ex.C2 came to hold that the said property also belongs to the defendant and consequently, also held that the plaintiff failed to establish entitlement to any share in any of the B schedule properties and confined the decree only to items 1 and 2 of A schedule. Aggrieved thereby, the present appeal is preferred.

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4. Heard Mr. V.S.R. Anjaneyulu, learned counsel appearing for the appellant/plaintiff and Mr. M.S. Raj Purohit, learned counsel appearing for the respondent/defendant. Both the counsel have made detailed and elaborate submissions spread over considerable length of time by placing the entire oral and documentary evidence before this Court for consideration.

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5. The main thrust of the submissions of the learned counsel for the appellants is that the father of the plaintiff and the defendant were carrying on the business as building contractor and labour contractor and the same business is carried on by the plaintiff and the defendant. Reliance is also placed on Exs.A9 to A12, which are documents relating to 1970-71 and as late as 1986 clearly show that the letter head of the business itself is Y. Narsaiah and Sons i.e. plaintiff and defendant and that the statement of work Ex.A11 is signed by both of them similarly, item-wise quotations under Ex.A12 were duly executed by the defendant, which was also carried on by both of them. The evidence of P.W.2 is also relied upon to substantiate that the said witness,

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who was 85 years old also spoke about the work being taken by the plaintiff and the defendant jointly. The learned counsel, therefore, states that there is always a presumption in favour of existence of joint family and joint family business and the burden, in fact, is on the defendant to establish to the contrary.

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6. The learned counsel has cited a decision of this Court in PURNA BAI v. RANCHHODDAS^[1] for the proposition that business carried on by joint efforts and properties acquired from earnings of such business automatically acquire the character of joint family properties. MADANLAL (DIED) by LRs. V. YOGA BAI (DIED) by LRs .^[2] is the decision of the Honourable Supreme Court confirming the judgment of the aforesaid Division Bench. He also relied upon VENKATA CHENCHAYYA v. RAMALINGAM^[3] also advancing the same proposition. Another decision of the Honourable Supreme Court in BHARAT SINGH v. Mst. BHAGIRATH I^[4] is relied upon for the proposition that there is a strong presumption in favour of Hindu brothers constituting a joint family and it is for the person alleging severance on the joint Hindu family to establish it. The decision of this Court in

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RAGHUNATH PERSHAD (DIED) by LRs. v. JANAKI BA I^[5]

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is relied upon to substantiate that even in the absence of any plea as to ouster possession of any one of the members of the joint family,

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in law, is treated as possession on behalf of all and the right of a party out of possession is not extinguished merely on the basis of mutation in the name of one of the coparceners. Another decision of the Supreme Court in SHER SINGH v. GAMDOOR SINGH^[6] is relied upon to contend that when once existence of joint family is not in dispute necessarily the property held by the family assumes the character of a coparcenary property and every member of the family would be entitled by birth to a share in the coparcenary property unless any one of the coparceners pleads, by separate pleadings and proves that some of the properties or all the properties are his self-acquired properties and could not be blended with the coparcener property. The later decision of the Supreme Court in RANGANAYAKAMMA v. K.S. PRAKASH^[7] and particularly para 27 is relied upon for reiteration of the presumption in law that a family holding joint properties and joint business

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would constitute a joint family.

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7. In addition to these decisions; to the extent of disputing Ex.C2 rectification deed executed by D.W.2 in favour of defendant,

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the learned counsel relies upon a decision of this Court in BADUGU VENKATA DURGA RAO v. SURNENI LAKSHM I^[8] for the proposition that once a vendor executed and registered a sale deed, he cannot subsequently execute, unilaterally, a document canceling the earlier document without joining the vendee under the earlier sale deed, in the deed of cancellation. On the basis of the aforesaid judgment, the learned counsel seeks to contend that the rectification deed executed by D.W.2 is subsequent to the present suit, which was filed on 02.04.1990 whereas Ex.C2 is dated 05.06.1990. This document is also attacked on the ground that it is hit by the principle of lis pendense under Section 51 of the Transfer of Property Act and has no legal validity.

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8. Per contra, the learned counsel for the respondent contends that there is absolutely no evidence to establish that the plaintiff and the defendant carried on any joint business and consequently, there is no presumption available to the plaintiff. The learned counsel criticizes Exs.A9 to A12 relied upon by the plaintiff to establish the joint business by contending that Ex.A9 is a blank sheet of the letter head, which has by itself no authenticity. Exs.A10 to A12 are explained by the defendant in his evidence that the work, which remained unfinished and in order to help the elder brother he has completed the said work. Learned counsel submits that there are several circumstances, which show that there cannot be a joint business and joint earnings between the parties, as they are separate from 1961 i.e. more than 30 years of period before filing of the suit would certainly leave numerous documents to contend and establish the joint business, if really, both the said brothers were jointly carrying on business and earning money. No such

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evidence is forthcoming on the part of the plaintiff and except Exs.A9 to A12 and the evidence of P.W.2, there is absolutely no evidence for the plaintiff to draw any presumption. Secondly, the properties earned by each of the brother cannot be said to be joint acquisitions. He also contended that there are several admissions of P.W.1, which are fatal to the case of the plaintiff. He relied upon admissions of P.W.1 in the cross-examination, as mentioned below:

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1. That I have no document to prove that the plaintiff and the defendant are carrying on joint family business at any time and it is true that Sankaraiah did not get any share in the plaint schedule property, as the same is not joint family property;

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2. I have not filed any proof of documents before the Court in the present suit;

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3. That plaintiffs have no proof to show that the consideration was paid to D.W.2 nor any document to show possession of item 6 of B schedule since the date of purchase;

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4. Half of item 1 of B schedule belongs to plaintiff and the other half to the defendant;

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5. No documentary evidence is filed to show that A & B schedule properties are joint family properties:

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6. Except Ex.A12, no other document is filed to show that plaintiff and defendant carried out construction and contract work jointly;

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7. That items 7 to 10 of B schedule belong to plaintiff and he sold the same during his lifetime and third parties are in occupation of the said land.

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9. Based on the above admissions, the learned counsel contends that Items 7 to 10 of B schedule could not have been included in the suit at all whereas rest of the items except items 1 and 2 of A schedule cannot be subject matter of the present suit, as there is no evidence whatsoever of any joint business or joint earnings. He also points out that P.W.2’s evidence is very slender as even according to him he knew both parties and both the plaintiff and the defendant helped him in reconstruction of his old house. That by itself cannot establish joint business or joint earnings. Learned counsel

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also states that there is no cause of action for the suit as stated in the plaint, as admittedly,

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the plaintiff and the defendant are owners of half share in item 1 of

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B schedule and it is significant that there is no notice prior to the suit demanding partition also. Considerable stress is laid on evidence of D.W.2; Ex.B41 the affidavit of D.W.2 and Ex.C2 together with agreement preceding sale deed - Ex.C1 and receipts – Exs.B37 to B39 to claim that the entire consideration for item 6 of B schedule was paid by the defendant and as the defendant was working outside Andhra Pradesh, he requested his brother to complete the sale deed formalities when the plaintiff obtained a sale deed in his name with regard to item 6. According to him, the same is confirmed by evidence of D.W.2 and that the defendant being in continuous occupation of the said property right from the date of purchase and the absence of any claim by the plaintiff at any time before the suit shows that the said property is exclusive property of the defendant.

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10. Learned counsel relied upon a decision of this Court in

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Y. KESHAVA SHARMA (DIED) per LRs. v. K. VENUGOPAL RAO (DIED)

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per LR^[9] wherein a claim for partition was made on the ground that the deceased first defendant was kartha and he had purchased the property from the income of joint family and that was based on agriculturist certificate issued by the Tahsildar and the proceedings of the Land Reforms Tribunal. Both the said documents were held to be not sufficient to establish that D1 purchased the said property by using joint family funds. The other decisions cited by the learned counsel relates to additional evidence, which will be considered at the appropriate stage.

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11. After the appellant’s counsel has completed his submissions,

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the respondent’s counsel has filed CMP.No.353 of 2010 seeking to file additional evidence along with affidavit stating that the documents sought to

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be produced as additional evidence are being filed on the legal advice for the purpose of substantiating that the suit schedule properties are not joint family properties and are not acquired out of joint earnings. The said application is opposed by the appellant by filing a detailed counter affidavit stating that no ingredients under Order 41 Rule 27 Code of Civil Procedure is made out and there is neither any sufficient cause nor any due diligence established by the defendant in filing the application at such a belated stage.

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The documents sought to be filed are: written statement filed in O.S.No.134 of 1989 (the suit filed by Sankaraiah against the plaintiff and the defendant for partition). Though the judgment and decree in the said suit are marked as Exs.A1 and A2, this written statement was not filed earlier, hence certified copy is being produced and requested to be received in evidence. The other documents relate to proceedings of the Mandal Revenue Officer and Revenue Divisional Officer and Joint Collector concerning item 6 of B schedule and in those legal proceedings the plaintiff, admittedly, was not a party and the said litigations concerned defendant and the third parties. The said documents are listed as items 2, 3 and 4. Items 5 and 6 are the certified copies of the judgment and decree in a subsequent suit O.S.No.584 of 2001 instituted by the defendant against the plaintiff relating to two rooms of item 1 of B schedule, which was, allegedly, in unauthorized possession of the plaintiff. The said suit was decreed and in appeal in A.S.No.107 of 2008 the said decree was confirmed. These two items viz. judgment and decree of original trial Court and the appellate Court are, therefore, filed for reception as additional evidence.

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12. Learned counsel for the defendant has relied upon decision of this Court in SUBASH GUPTA v. V. NARASIMHA REDDY^[10] for the proposition that the Court can admit additional evidence if the same is necessary for pronouncing judgment under sub-clause (2) of Rule 27 CPC. The decision of the Supreme Court in PUNJAB STATE ELECTRICITY v.

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NARATA SINGH^[11] is also relied upon for the proposition that though the additional evidence is produced at the appellate stage, if sufficient opportunity is granted to the opposite party and if no prejudice is caused to the opposite party consideration of additional documents is permissible. Another decision of the Supreme Court in SHYAM GOPAL BINDAL v. LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER^[12] is also relied upon for the proposition that when the parties are not aware of these documents, their production of additional evidence is permissible.

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13. For reception of the said additional documents now sought to be produced, the reasons mentioned in the affidavit by the defendant are wholly unsatisfactory. The ingredients of Order 41 Rule 27 (aa) CPC are not at all made out by the defendant and mere claim that they are being filed on the basis of the legal advice is not sufficient compliance under Order 41 Rule 27 (aa) CPC. This leaves only sub-clause 1(b) of Rule 27 CPC, which is a requirement of the Court to enable it to pronounce the judgment.

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14. Items 2 and 3 viz. the orders passed by the Mandal Revenue Officer, Medchal and Revenue Divisional Officer, Hyderabad show that the plaintiff is not a party nor the said documents have any relevance to the issue involved. The said documents are, therefore, rejected. Similarly, items 5 and 6 are judgment and decree of the trial Court and the appellate Court respectively in a subsequent suit between the parties relating to two rooms in item 1 of B schedule, which also has no relevance to the issues involved and as such, the said two documents are not relevant. However, item 1 of the documents has some relevance in the sense that the said written statement was filed by the plaintiff and the defendant, who were both arrayed as defendants in the suit filed by Sankaraiah and in the said written statement they have denied existence of any joint Hindu family of Balakrishnaiah and his sons. It is also

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asserted that the defendants are labour contractors and by their dint of hard work and out of their own earnings they purchased the agricultural properties. The purchase of properties by defendant No.1; defendant No.2 therein (plaintiff and defendant herein) and in the name of Ramulamma – wife of defendant No.2, was not nominal. The other items of the property were shown as self-acquisitions and in the said written statement also except the ancestral property at Medchal rest of the properties were denied to have any joint family property status. As mentioned above, though the judgment and decree in the said suit O.S.No.134 of 1989 are marked as Exs.A1 and A2, this written statement was not filed. The said written statement cannot be denied by either of the parties and as such, the genuineness of the said certified copy being not in dispute and the said document being relevant and would assist the Court in adjudication of this appeal, is received in evidence under Order 41 Rule 27 1(b) CPC.

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15. In the light of these rival contentions and in the absence of any appropriate issues framed by the trial Court, this Court being first appellate Court and having same powers as that of the trial Court,

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it would be appropriate to frame relevant issues while deciding this appeal and no purpose would be served in remitting the suit for fresh consideration on that ground, as the suit as it is now 20 years old.

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I have, therefore, allowed both the learned counsel to make detailed submissions on the issues, which according to them arise in the matter. Learned counsel for the appellant has also filed a memo pointing out the issues, which arise for consideration. Keeping in view, the pleadings of the parties, to my mind, the following issues would cover the controversy between the parties:

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1. Whether the plaintiff has established existence of joint family property and availability of sufficient nucleus?

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2. Whether the plaintiff has established that the deceased original plaintiff and the defendant were carrying on joint business as

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building contractors and labour contractors?

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3. Whether the acquisitions except items 1 and 2 of A schedule are acquisitions out of joint earnings of deceased plaintiff and the defendant?

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4. Whether item 6 of B schedule was purchased by the defendant out of his own earnings and whether it is liable for partition. Similarly, whether item 3 of A schedule is the acquisition on behalf of the joint family of plaintiff and defendant?

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5. Whether the acquisition of properties in B schedule standing in the name of the wife of the defendant is acquisition on behalf of the joint family and as such, it is partiable?

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6. Whether the plaintiff is entitled to relief of partition and mandatory and permanent injunction as prayed for?

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7. To what relief the plaintiff is entitled?

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The determination of issues 1 to 3 would effectively decide the suit inasmuch as the other questions would arise and fall for consideration only if the plaintiff is held to have established the existence of joint family property or joint family business and the earnings therefrom sufficient to acquire the plaint schedule properties.

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16. At the outset, as held by the trial Court, Items 1 and 2 of A schedule are admittedly ancestral properties and decree to that extent is already passed by the trial Court and the same is not subject matter of this appeal. Reference to the plaint schedule properties hereinafter is, therefore, with regard to the rest of the properties in the plaint schedule.

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ISSUE Nos.1 to 3:

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17. The only evidence of existence of ancestral property is that of two house properties at Medchal Village, which are items 1 and 2 of A schedule. There is no evidence that these two properties were earning any income and as such, the plaintiff seeks to explain the acquisition of other plaint schedule properties on the ground that the plaintiff and the defendant were carrying on the ancestral business, which was in the nature of building

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contractors and labour contractors. The plaintiff asserts that both the brothers carried on the said business and earned substantial income therefrom and acquired various properties described in the plaint schedule. However, evidence in support thereof appears very slender. The original plaintiff died pending the suit and as such, the only evidence available on their part is that of P.W.1 the son of the original plaintiff. It is also not in controversy that the plaintiff and the defendant separated in mess and residence in 1961. Their father Balakrishnaiah died sometime in June 1969. The original plaintiff also died on 09.04.1995 after the suit.

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The suit was filed on 02.04.1990. Thus, from the period of their separation or at least from the period of the death of their father i.e. 1969 to 1999 the period covering over two decades is the substantial period during which both the brothers would have taken up and completed building contract works and labour contract works.

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Except Exs.A9 to A12, however, there is no other evidence forthcoming on the part of the plaintiff. The admissions of P.W.1 in his cross-examination, which are relied upon by the learned counsel for the respondent are already referred to above and according to which there is no documentary evidence in support of the plaintiff’s case. However, the said evidence and admissions are tried to be explained by the learned counsel for the appellant on the ground that P.W.1 is only son of the original plaintiff, who was very young at the time of death of his grandfather and he may not be in know of all these things.

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18. I have seen Exs.A9 to A12. Ex.A9 is the letterhead, which shows Y. Narsaiah and Sons, PWD Contrators and the address is that of item 1 of B schedule. This document by itself does not say that Narsaiah and Yethirajulu are joint contractors, as sought to be suggested by the plaintiff. Ex.A10 is an undertaking given by the plaintiff and the defendant jointly on 28.08.1971 stating that both of them have agreed for the re-modeling work of Popular Medical Hall at Secuderabad on the estimates submitted by them and in the

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shape of an agreement agreeing to carry out the work confirming advance of Rs.1,000/- received for the work. This solitary instance of work would not establish joint business carried on by both of them and it may be that this particular work was undertaken by them together. Similarly, Ex.A11 is a statement of work carried out with endorsement that it is checked and cleared by the owner on 20.08.1972 and is signed by the defendant on that date i.e. 20.08.1972 and also an abstract of bill dated 26.07.1972 for constructions of superstructure relating to a house of one Thamboo Swamy and it appears to be just measurement details of the work. Similarly, Ex.A12 is the schedule of rates giving item-wise quotations for same work, which is said to be signed by the defendant. The statement of work and abstract of the four items is the only evidence produced by the plaintiff to claim that there is a joint business by both of them. There is no evidence of existence of any joint family business inherited by the plaintiff and the defendant from their father nor there is any evidence to establish existence of any nucleus available to either plaintiff or the defendant. It is, therefore, apparent that both of them have worked by using their individual skills and have carried out different works and earned monies. The slender evidence under Exs.A9 to A12, therefore, is not sufficient to hold a presumption in favour of plaintiff that the plaintiff and the defendant were carrying on joint business. As mentioned above, the plaintiff could have produced enough evidence as the period of more than two decades elapsed before filing of the present suit and there could have been numerous instances of work and earnings, if really, both of them were jointly carrying on the business.

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19. In addition to the above, additional document No.1 i.e. written statement in O.S.No.134 of 1989, clearly shows the present claim of the plaintiff is inconsistent and contradictory. He cannot be allowed to resile from his claim and pleading for present suit. I am, therefore, not able to accept the contention of the learned counsel for the plaintiff with regard to issues 1 to 3 and I am of the view that the plaintiff has failed to establish the

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same.

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20. The findings of this Court on issues 1 to 3, above, are fully supported by the said document No.1 in the additional evidence, which is now received and marked as Ex.B85. The said document also establishes that both the parties herein had defended all the acquisitions as self-acquisitions and neither party can be allowed to resile from the said stand taken by them in the earlier litigation.

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The issues 1 to 3 answered, as above, are, therefore, fully supported by this document as well. The trial Court has already come to the same conclusion and I see no reason to take a different view.

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21. In the absence of any presumption in favour of the plaintiff,

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the consequences arising out presumption would not flow in favour of the plaintiff and the initial burden having not been established by the plaintiff, the said burden would not shift to the defendant for rebuttal. The decisions cited by the learned counsel for the plaintiff reiterate the well-settled principle. However, on facts, the plaintiff must initially establish the existence of joint family property and joint family business by joint efforts and then only, the presumption as reiterated in the aforesaid decisions would apply. On facts, as mentioned above, the plaintiff having failed to establish the said ingredients he is not entitled to claim presumption available with respect to joint family business. The issues 1 to 3 are, therefore, decided against the plaintiff.

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ISSUE Nos.4 to 6:

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22. Item 6 of B schedule, admittedly, stands in the name of plaintiff. The defendant has tried to displace the apparent title by claiming that he actually paid the consideration and apart from his own evidence, the defendant has relied upon the evidence of D.W.2 as well as Exs.C1 – agreement, Ex.C2 – rectification deed and Exs.B37 to B39 receipts of payment as well as Ex.B41

¶103

notarized affidavit of the vendor – D.W.2. All the aforesaid documents, no doubt, show that it is the defendant, who has paid the consideration and he is the rightful owner of the property. The defendant also relies upon the other evidence that he has protected the property, has been in possession and enjoyment thereof throughout and has been fighting other litigations relating to the said property before the land revenue authorities. The said evidence has to be considered in the light of admitted fact that the title of the said property stands in the name of the plaintiff.

¶104

Allowing the defendant to contend that notwithstanding the title standing in the name of the plaintiff, he continues to be the owner of the property would be against the Benami (Prohibition) Act, 1988.

¶105

It is not as if that the plaintiff stands in a fiduciary capacity and would fall in any of the exceptions under the provisions of the Benami (Prohibition) Act. The plaintiff, therefore, would be well justified in claiming that he is the owner of the property. He has, however, sought a decree of partition regarding the said item and claimed half share therein. The rectification deed – Ex.C2, no doubt, is after the presentation of the present suit and is evidently hit by lis pendense under Section 51 of the Transfer of Property Act.

¶106

But more importantly, a unilateral rectification deed cannot be said to be binding on the plaintiff. The said deed inter se between D.W.2 and the defendant cannot, therefore, have a force of displacing the title vested in plaintiff under the Transfer of Property Act. D.W.2 already ceased to have any locus relating to the said property after he executed the sale deed. Whether the sale deed is in the name of the plaintiff or the defendant, the vendor – D.W.2 cannot have a locus to deal with the said property after the sale deed. Therefore, his notarized affidavit – Ex.B41 or Ex.C1 agreement precede the sale deed or the receipt of consideration from the defendant as well as the rectification deed – Ex.C2 cannot have affect of obliterating the title of the plaintiff, which he holds under the Transfer of Property Act. I am, therefore, not inclined to accept the said contention of the defendant that he is the exclusive owner of item 6 of B schedule. The said property, therefore,

¶107

in my opinion is required to be partitioned between the plaintiff and the defendant in two equal shares. The finding of the trial Court with regard to the aforesaid property is clearly unsustainable and amounts to ignoring the title vested in the plaintiff under a registered sale deed on the basis of subsequent documents executed by the vendor – D.W.2. The said issue is accordingly decided in favour of the plaintiff and against the defendant

¶108

23. Items 7 to 10 of B schedule, admittedly, stood in the name of the plaintiff and he sold those items during his lifetime and as admitted by P.W.1, third parties are in possession of the properties. Inclusion of items 7 to 10 in the plaint B schedule itself was, therefore, unnecessary as these properties do not exist in the name of either of the parties on the date of the suit. Similarly, items 2, 3, 4 and 11 of

¶109

B schedule do not stand in the name of either of the parties and in fact, stand in the name of the wife of the defendant. Once it is held on issues 1 to 3 that the plaintiff failed to prove the existence of joint family property and joint family business, as held above, there is no other evidence to displace the title of the wife of the defendant with respect to above items of the property. These items, therefore, are not available for partition.

¶110

24. Item 3 of A schedule, admittedly, stands in the name of the defendant and has to be held to be his self-acquired property and is not available for partition. Similarly, items 5, 12 and 13 of B schedule also stand in the name of the defendant and they are also his self-acquisitions as per the evidence on record. These items also, therefore, are not available for partition.

¶111

In the circumstances, therefore, appeal succeeds in part with respect to item 6 of B schedule and with respect to rest of the items, the appeal stands dismissed. Since the parties are closely related there shall be no order as to costs.

¶112

_____________________ VILAS V. AFZULPURKAR, J

¶113

August 13, 2010 DSK

¶114

[1] AIR 1992 AP 270 [2] AIR 2003 SC 1880 [3] AIR 1957 AP 744 [4] AIR 1966 SC 405 [5] 2005 (6) ALD 61 [6] AIR 1997 SC 1333 [7] (2008) 15 SCC 673 [8] 2001 (1) ALD 86 [9] 2010 (2) ALT 332 [10] 2010 (3) ALT 54 [11] AIR 2010 SC 1467 [12] AIR 2010 SC 690

Yedheti Dhananjaya v. Yedheti Yethirajulu

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Yedheti Dhananjaya v. Yedheti Yethirajulu

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