Delhi District Court
Sh. Sriman Rajoo vs The State ( N.C.T Of Delhi) on 20 May, 2015
IN THE COURT OF SH. PAWAN SINGH RAJAWAT,
ADMINISTRATIVE CIVIL JUDGE(SOUTH),
SAKET COURTS, NEW DELHI
SUCCESSION CASE NO. 98/14
1. Sh. Sriman Rajoo,
S/o Late Sh. R.Sriman,
R/o A44, Gulmohar Park,
New Delhi110049 .............Petitioner
Versus.
1. The State ( N.C.T of Delhi)
2. Ms. Radhica Sreeman,
D/o Late Sh. R.Sriman,
R/o A44, Gulmohar Park,
New Delhi110049 ............Respondents
Application for grant of Succession Certificate U/S 372 of
Indian Succession Act, 1925.
DATE OF INSTITUTION : 16.12.2014
DATE OF RESERVING ORDER : 20.05.2015
DATE OF PRONOUNCEMENT : 20.05.2015
JUDGMENT
1. Vide this judgment, I shall dispose off the petition filed by the petitioner Sh. Sriman Rajoo for the grant of a succession certificate under SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 1/17 section 372 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925 ( hereinafter referred to as ' the Act') in respect to debt/securities etc., of Late Sh. R.Sriman, S/o Late Sh. R.Rajagopalachari.
2. The facts relevant for the disposal of the present petition are that Late Sh. R.Sriman, deceased expired on 13.12.2000 was father of the petitioner. It has been further stated that petitioner is the legal heir/ representative of Late Sh. R.Sriman alongwith Smt. Radhica Sreeman, Smt. Rathnam, W/o Late R.Sriman also expired on 29.12.2011. Ms. Radhica Sreeman has given her no objection in favour of petitioner.
It was further stated on behalf of the petitioner that there is no impediment under the provision of the Act in the grant of succession certificate in favour of the petitioner in respect of the following A. Bank Account S. Particulars of Debt / Securities Amount ( in Rs.) No. Central Bank of India, joint account no. Rs. 86,758.27 1010580026 of late Sh. R.Sriman and Late Smt.
1. Rathnam.
Total Rs. 86,758.27 B. Shares List of Annexure I S. Name of the Company Regd. Folio Distinctive No. Mkt Face SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 2/17 No No. No. of Value. Value/sum . Shar Assured in es Rupees 1. Reliance Industries Ltd. 31305845 1619789516 560 45 800 36000 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 2. Reliance Industries Ltd. 31305845 2187230197 261 65 800 52000 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 3. Reliance Industries Ltd. 31305845 181184695 704 10 800 8000 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 4. Reliance Industries Ltd. 31305845 1161414747 758 10 800 8000 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 5. Larsen & Turbo Ltd. 70456621 142979188 207 20 1400 28000 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 6. Larsen & Turbo Ltd. 70456621 207752084 93 10 1400 14000 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 7. Larsen & Turbo Ltd. 70456621 105658979 18 40 1400 56000 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 8. Larsen & Turbo Ltd. 70456621 207752054 83 30 1400 42000 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 9. Larsen. And. Turbo 70456621 5862809 925 117 1400 163800 Ltd. (Equity shares of 2/- each) 10. Larsen. And. Turbo 70456621 143817175 291 117 1400 163800 Ltd. (Equity shares of 2/- each) 11. Larsen. And. Turbo 70456621 579837740 973 234 1400 327600 Ltd. (Equity shares of 2/- each) SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 3/17 12. Larsen & Turbo Ltd. 75476 52710675 680 6 1400 8400 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 13. Larsen & Turbo Ltd. 75476 24949463 506 44 1400 61600 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 14. Larsen & Turbo Ltd. 75476 17761499 548 50 1400 70000 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 15. Larsen & Turbo Ltd. 75476 72842335 351 17 1400 23800 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 16. Larsen & Turbo Ltd. 75476 65506773 789 17 1400 23800 (Equity Share3s of 10/- each) 17. Titan. Watches. Ltd. TWS00444 27344423 462 40 250 10000 ( Equity shares of 10/- each) 18. Titan. Watches. Ltd. TWS00444 416558700 722 23 250 5750 ( Equity shares of 10/- each) 19. Titan. Watches. Ltd. TWS00444 25265571 670 100 250 25000 ( Equity shares of 10/- each) 20. Titan. Watches. Ltd. TWS00444 33687813 825 13 250 3250 ( Equity shares of 10/- each) 21 Titan. Watches. Ltd. TWS00444 33687713 812 100 250 25000 ( Equity shares of 10/- each) 22. Titan. Watches. Ltd. TWS00444 12267301 400 100 250 25000 ( Equity shares of 10/- each) 23. Kesoram. Industries. S4336 9895046 65 20 100 2000 Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 4/17 24. Kesoram. Industries. S4336 15101986 5 20 100 2000 Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 25. Kesoram. Industries. S4336 12507041 60 20 100 2000 Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 26. Kesoram. Industries. S4336 1625105 114 10 100 1000 Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 27. Kesoram. Industries. S4336 19931301 32 20 100 2000 Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 28. Kesoram. Industries. S4336 33449697 706 10 100 1000 Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 29. Kesoram. Industries. S4336 33499687 696 10 100 1000 Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 30. Kothari industries. 635128 9403566 595 30 10 300 Corporation. Ltd. ( Equity shares of 10/- each) 31 JK Cement Ltd. 406810 42564300 312 13 550 7150 ( Equity shares of 10/- each) 32. Tata Chemical. Ltd. CIR35425 109864139 163 25 350 8750 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 33. Tata Chemical. Ltd. CIR35425 90264139 163 25 350 8750 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 34 Tata Chemical. Ltd. CIR35425-6 147914575 584 10 350 3500 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 35. Tata Chemical. Ltd. CIR35425-6 147914565 574 10 350 3500 (Equity shares of 10/- each) SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 5/17 36. Tata Chemical. Ltd. CIR35425-6 147914555 564 10 350 3500 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 37. The Tata Engineering ER2016701 103952467 476 10 425 4250 & Locomotive Co. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 38. The Tata Engineering ER2016701 103952457 466 10 425 4250 & Locomotive Co. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 39. The Tata Engineering ER2016701 103952477 486 10 425 4250 & Locomotive Co. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 40. The Tata Engineering ER2016701 199422917 926 10 425 4250 & Locomotive Co. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 41. The Tata Engineering ER2016701 199422907 916 10 425 4250 & Locomotive Co. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 42 The Tata Engineering ER2016701 199422897 906 10 425 4250 & Locomotive Co. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 43 The Tata Engineering ER2016701 199422887 896 10 425 4250 & Locomotive Co. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 44 The Tata Engineering ER2016701 199422837 886 50 425 21250 & Locomotive Co. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 45 The Tata Engineering ER2016701 59076401 450 50 425 21250 & Locomotive Co. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 6/17 each) 46 The Tata Engineering ER2016701 5907650 520 10 425 4250 & Locomotive Co. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 47 The Tata Engineering ER2016701 5907650 510 10 425 4250 & Locomotive Co. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 48 The Tata Engineering ER2016701 59076451 500 50 425 21250 & Locomotive Co. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 49 HDFC. Bank. Ltd. 6305165 423321253 259 7 950 6650 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 50 Ultratech. Cement Co. 70456621 34689629 664 36 - 91800 Ltd. Shares of 10/- each) 51. Mahavir. Spinning. 52332 39660184 222 39 10 390 Mills. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 52. Mahavir. Spinning. 52332 25992393 222 39 10 390 Mills. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 53 Kesoram. Textiles. TS18370 15497239 338 100 2 200 Mills Ltd. (Equity shares of 2 each) 54. Continental. CC13944 21434501 600 100 30 3000 Construction. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10 each) 55. Continental. CC13944 29545401 450 50 30 1500 Construction. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10 each) 56. Flex. Industries. Ltd. 36288 464215 200 50 100 5000 SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 7/17 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 57. Flex. Industries. Ltd. 36288 6500555 604 50 100 5000 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 58. Flex. Industries. Ltd. 36288 6500655 704 50 100 5000 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 59. Flex. Industries. Ltd. 36288 4642101 150 50 100 5000 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 60. VXL. India. Ltd. VX107731 44540393 492 100 10 1000 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 61. VXL. India. Ltd. VX107731 9827087 106 20 10 200 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 62 VXL. India. Ltd. VX107731 9827107 126 20 10 200 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 63 VXL. India. Ltd. VX107731 9827127 146 20 10 200 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 64 VXL. India. Ltd. VX107731 9827147 166 20 10 200 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 65 VXL. India. Ltd. VX107731 17361565 599 35 10 350 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 66 VXL. India. Ltd. VX107731 21506102 136 35 10 350 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 67 Indian. Seamless. 363457 56345601 700 100 10 1000 Steels & Alloys. Ltd. ( Equity shares of 10/- each) SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 8/17 68 Mangalore. Refinary & 285602 245929201 300 100 50 5000 Petrochemicals Ltd. ( Equity shares of 10/- each) 69. Mangalore. Refinary & 285602 365305651 450 100 50 5000 Petrochemicals Ltd. ( Equity shares of 10/- each) 70. Saurashtra. Chemicals. 46684 16626088 187 100 10 1000 Ltd. (Equity shares of 10/- each) 71. Saurashtra. Chemicals. 46684 16626188 212 25 10 250 Ltd. (Equity shares of 10/- each) 72. Gujarat. Steel. Tubes. R/00086 5601871 890 20 10 200 Ltd.( Equity shares of 10/- each) 73. Gujarat. Steel. Tubes. R/00086 5601821 870 50 10 500 Ltd.( Equity shares of 10/- each) 74. Gujarat. Steel. Tubes. R/00086 3063421 440 20 10 200 Ltd.( Equity shares of 10/- each) 75. Saurashtra. Chemicals. 46684 3025954161 285 125 1 125 Ltd. (Equity shares of 1 each) 76. Birla. VXL. Ltd.(equity 9029521 66120927 976 50 10 500 shares of 10/- each) 77. Vardhman. Special. 3536 6161084 106 23 10 230 Steels. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 78. Vardhman. Special. 30190 24434205 217 13 10 130 Steels. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 79. Vardhman. Special. 30190 16521265 304 40 10 400 Steels. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 9/17 80. Vardhman. Special. 30190 26133563 596 34 10 340 Steels. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 81. Vardhman. Special. 30190 45792588 636 49 10 490 Steels. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 82. JK. Synthitics. Ltd. 507221 247981 48 68 1 68 ( Equity Shares of 1/- each) 83. Shaktisoya. Ltd.(Equity SSR00370 6423701 800 100 10 1000 Shares of 10/- each) 84. Kothari(Madras) Ltd. 835128 7103520 539 20 10 200 Equity shares of 10/- each) 85. Carona. Ltd. (Equity R02144 2925395 444 50 10 500 Shares of 10/- each) 86. Vardhman. Spinning & 2326 60839 858 20 10 200 General. Mills. Ltd. (Equity shares of 10/- each) 87. Applled. Electronics. RE003057 1441101 200 100 10 1000 Ltd. (Equity shares of 10/- each) 88. Reliance. 655201 3433815 879 65 5 325 Communication. Ventures. Ltd. (Equity shares of 5/- each) 89. Reliance. Capital. Ltd. 101119742 224643813 815 3 410 1230 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 90. Reliance. Energy. Ltd. 101119742 213016939 942 4 10 40 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 91. Reliance. Energy. 655201 3433815 879 65 10 650 Ventures. Ltd.(Equity shares. Of 10/- each) SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 10/17 92. Reliance. Capital. 655201 3433815 879 65 10 650 Ventures. Ltd. (Equity shares of 10/- each) 93. Reliance Power( Equity 200655201 2397330864 879 16 55 880 shares of 10/- each) 94. Reliance. Natural. 6552201 3433815 879 65 5 325 Resources. Ltd.( Equity shares of 5/- each) Total Rs. 14,78,513/- C. Share List of Annexure II S. Company Name Regd. Distinctive No. of Market Face No Folio No. shares Value Value/ . No. Sum assured in Rs. 1. JK.Cement. Ltd. 423448 42635606 610 5 550 2750 ( Equity Shares of 10/- each) 2. HDFC. Bank. Ltd. 6067149 423121475 475 1 950 950 (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 3. Farm. Enterprises. 4291468 166940 940 1 10 10 Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 4. J.K.Synthitics. Ltd. 90947 25492930 939 10 10 100 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 5. J.K.Synthitics. Ltd. 90947 17374267 282 16 10 160 (Equity shares of 10/- each) 6. J.K.Synthitics. Ltd. 90947 24694551 555 5 10 50 (Equity shares of 10/- each) SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 11/17 7. J.K.Synthitics. Ltd. 90947 46418076 94 19 10 500 (Equity shares of 10/- each) Rs. 4210/- D. Share List of Annexure III S.No. Company Name Regd. Folio Distinctiv No. of Mar Face No. e No. shares ket Value/ Valu Sum e assured in Rs. 1. Shakti. Soya. SSR01605 6549701 800 100 10 1000 Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) 2. Manglore. R0015640 550 50 27500 Chemicals. Ltd. (Equity Shares of 10/- each) Total Rs.28500 Sub Total A + B+C+D =
Rs. 86,758.27+14,78,513.00+4210.00+28500.00 = Rs. 15,97,981.27
3. A notice of the petition was published in the daily newspaper ' The Statesmen ' on 03.02.2015 to invite objections on behalf of general public to the grant of succession certificate in favour of the applicant / petitioner, but none had appeared on behalf of the public at large on the day of hearing fixed to contest / oppose or raise any objection to the grant of the succession certificate SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 12/17 in favour of the applicant / petitioner.
4. The applicant / petitioner had examined himself as PW1 and deposing on the line of the facts as averred in his petition and tendered the affidavit. In support of his affidavit, he had relied upon the following documents:
(a) Death Certificate of R.Sriman is Ex. PW1.
(b) Death Certificate of Mrs. Rathnam is Ex. PW2.
(c) Details of moveable assets is Ex. PW3(colly).
(d) Annexure D is Ex. PW4.
(e) Moveable Assets of jointly is Ex. PW5.
(f) Joint Bank statement of both is Ex. PW6.
(g) Central Bank of India account no. 1010580026 statement is Ex.
PW2/1.
The official, Nand Lal from Central Bank of India was examined and he brought the account statement no. 1010580026, showing balance of Rs. 86,758.27.
5. I have heard the arguments on behalf of the petitioner and gone through entire material available on record.
SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 13/17 Legal Position:
6. The law with respect to the grant of succession certificate is provided in Part X of the Indian Succession Act, 1925. It inter alia provides that any person claiming himself to be the relative or legal heir of the deceased or any person having a prima facie beneficial interest in the 'debt or securities' of the deceased may apply to a competent court for the grant of a succession certificate. Upon receiving such application, the court is mandated to conduct an inquiry to ascertain the right to the certificate. The enquiry in such proceeding is to be 'summary', and the court, without determining the questions of law or fact which seem to it to be too intricate and difficult to determination, should grant the certificate to the person who appears to have primafacie the best title thereto. The provision is to decide the application in a summary manner and the question to be decided is the right to the succession certificate. The enquiry contemplated in the case of rival claimants to the estate of the deceased person is of a summary type and is not intended to lead any final adjudication. No doubt, some sort of inquiry would be essential to enable the court to grant a certificate, and though the inquiry is to be directed to find out which of the rival claimants for the certificate is better suited for getting the certificate, that does not operate as a final adjudication with respect to the rival claims regarding the right to be debts in quest.ion, but operates only as a kind of SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 14/17 makeshift or temporary arrangement enabling the grantee to realise the assets for the benefits of whosoever may ultimately be entitled thereto.
Under section 370 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925, a succession certificate can be granted only in respect of debts and securities and not for any kind of property. The word 'debt' in Part X of the Indian Succession Act does not include any movable property other than a specific or ascertained or liquidated sum of money. The meaning of the expression 'security' as used in Part X of the said Act is provided in Section 370(2) of the Act. Debt and securities are merely two species of property out of wide variety of properties a man may own.
Section 371 of the Act provides that the deceased should have been ordinarily residing within the jurisdiction of the court at the time of his death or if at that time he had no fixed place of residence the property or any part thereof must be situated within the jurisdiction of the court. The property mentioned in the section must be the property of the deceased and not property which is claimed by the applicant as his own. The Act does not bar any one of the relatives heirs left by the deceased to make application for the succession certificate in respect of the debt or debts due to the decease or in respect of portion thereof. By Clause (d) of S.372(1) the Legislature intends that person to be granted a certificate must be one who has title or interest in the debt, to SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 15/17 collect which the certificate is applied for. Law abhors Escheat; it also abhors vacuum. Succession is the rule and that is to be prompted not defeated.
The essential requisite for entitling a person to make the application is the existence prima facie of a beneficial interest in the applicant. The Court is primarily concerned with the question as to who among the various applicants is the proper person to represent the estate of the deceased and collect the money. All other disputes have to be decided in appropriate proceedings. Grant of Succession Certificate does not depend on the right of any claimant to the debt. The certificate does not recognise or invest in the grantee title to the debt or property in the debt. It only enables him to collect the debt and give valid discharge to the creditor. If there be conflicting claims, they have to be settled in appropriate proceedings in accordance with the law. The court may refuse grant of a succession certificate when intricate questions of law or fact are involved.
7. The copy of death certificate reflects that late Sh. R.Sriman who expired on 13.12.2000 at A44, Gulmohar Park New Delhi and Smt. Rathnam expired on 29.12.2011. The petitioner has stated in his affidavit that the deceased was holder of moveable assets as mentioned. SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 16/17
8. The aforesaid claim of the petitioner has gone unrebutted and nobody appeared on behalf of public at large to contest the aforesaid claim of the petitioner. There is also no impediment U/S 370 of the Act to grant of Succession Certificate with respect to debts/securities as mentioned above. Therefore, I deem it fit to allow the petition. Accordingly, the petition is hereby allowed.
9. In view of above, I hold that the petitioner Sriman Rajoo, S/o Late Sh. R.Sriman is entitled for the grant of Succession Certificate U/S 373 of the Act in respect of the aforementioned debts and securities of deceased.
10. Accordingly, Succession Certificate be issued to the petitioner Sriman Rajoo, S/o Late Sh. R.Sriman on filing of court fee as prescribed in terms of Article 12 Schedule 1 of the court fee Act 1870 as applicable to Delhi and an indemnity bond for the value of debts and securities as detailed in Schedule A as on the date of filing of petition.
File be consigned to Record Room.
Announced in open court (Pawan Singh Rajawat) on 20.05.2015 Administrative Civil Judge (South), New Delhi SC No. 98/14 Sriman Rajoo Vs State 17/17