Allahabad High Court
Shashi Prabha vs Dy. Director Of Consolidation Budaun ... on 13 May, 2020
Author: Prakash Padia
Bench: Prakash Padia
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD A.F.R. Reserved on 13.2.2020 Delivered on 13.05.2020 In Chamber Case :- WRIT - B No. - 42060 of 2015 Petitioner :- Shashi Prabha Respondent :- Dy. Director Of Consolidation Budaun And 3 Others Counsel for Petitioner :- Rama Shankar Mishra Counsel for Respondent :- C.S.C.,K.K. Chaurasia,S.M. Pandey,Yogesh Kumar Hon'ble Prakash Padia,J.
1. The petitioner has preferred the present writ petition with the prayer to quash the order dated 19.5.2015 passed by the respondent no.1/Deputy Director of Consolidation, District Budaun, copy of which is appended as annexure 1 to the writ petition.
2. Since counter and rejoinder affidavits have been exchanged between the parties hence with the consent of learned counsel for the parties, present writ petition is being disposed of finally at the admission stage itself.
3. The facts in brief as contained in the writ petition are that the petitioner is daughter of late Rameshwar Dayal Mishra resident of Village-Khurampur Bhamauri, Pargana Satasi, Tehsil Visauli, District Budaun. The respondents no.3 and 4 are the real brothers of the petitioner and Smt. Satto Devi is the mother of the petitioner. The respondent no.2 namely Omwati is not the mother of the petitioner as well as respondent nos.3 and 4. It is further stated in the writ petition that the respondent no.2 is not the widow of Rameshwar Dayal Mishra and she is a widow of one Tota Ram resident of Village Khandua Pargana Kot Tehsil Sahaswan, District Budaun.
4. In paragraph 5 of the writ petition it is stated that the Rameshwar Dayal Mishra has executed a Will on 4.3.2003 in favour of the petitioner. He died on the next day of the execution of Will, i.e., 05.03.2003. It appears from perusal of the record that the respondent no.3 namely Yogesh Kumar filed a case under Section 12 of the U.P. Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1953 being Case No.79 of 2013-14 against Omwati before the Consolidation Officer, Budaun. In the said case an application/objection was filed by the petitioner for mutation of her name. Further prayer was made in the aforesaid application that the petitioner should be arrayed as one of the necessary party in the aforesaid case. It is stated in paragraph 7 of the writ petition that the petitioner has given another application in this regard before the Consolidation Officer, Budaun on 3.1.2013. The Consolidation Officer, Budaun, rejected the aforesaid application of the petitioner vide order dated 3.5.2014, copy of the order dated 3.5.2014 is appended as annexure 1 to the supplementary counter affidavit filed by the respondent no.2.
5. Against the aforesaid order an appeal was preferred by the petitioner before the Settlement Officer of the Consolidation, Budaun. The aforesaid appeal was allowed by him vide its judgement and order dated 18.9.2014. By the aforesaid order Settlement Officer of Consolidation, Budaun, remanded the matter before the Consolidation Officer with the directions to implead the petitioner as one of the necessary party and to provide the opportunity of hearing to the petitioner and thereafter decide the matter on merits. The aforesaid order dated 18.9.2014 passed by the Settlement Officer of Consolidation, District Budaun, was challenged before the respondent no.1 namely Deputy Director of Consolidation, District Budaun by filing a revision as provided under Section 48 of the Act, 1953. The aforesaid revision filed by the respondent no.2 was allowed by the respondent no.1 vide its order dated 19.5.2015. The petitioner has preferred the present writ petition challenging the aforesaid order passed by the respondent no.1.
6. It is argued by learned counsel for the petitioner that the respondent no.1 has not applied its judicial mind while passing the order impugned. The findings recorded by the respondent no.1 is absolutely perverse and against the record. It is further argued that the petitioner is a necessary party in the aforesaid case since her interest is involved in the matter but respondent no.1 has not considered the grievance of the petitioner.
7. A counter affidavit has been filed in the matter on behalf of the respondent no.2. It is stated in the counter affidavit that the so called Will is a forged document and the respondent no.2 is getting family pension and all other retiral benefits since 5.3.2004. It is further stated in the counter affidavit that no Will deed whatsoever has been executed by the husband of the respondent no.2. A fake and false story has been developed by the petitioner while filing her objection on 30.1.2013 before the Consolidation Officer, Budaun, in Case No.10/77/2014-15 under Section 12 of the Act, 1953. It is further stated in the counter affidavit that in fact the impleadment application was filed by the petitioner after the expiry of more than 10 years.
8. Rejoinder affidavit was filed in response to the counter affidavit filed by the respondent no.2. In the rejoinder affidavit contents made in the counter affidavit were denied. It is reiterated in the rejoinder affidavit that the petitioner has filed objections in the aforesaid case before the Assistant Consolidation Officer, Sadar, District Budaun on 30.9.2003 on the basis of the Will deed dated 4.3.2003, certified copy of the application dated 30.9.2003 is appended along-with the rejoinder affidavit. The Consolidation Officer, Budaun, rejected the application filed by the petitioner for mutation of her name in the revenue record vide order dated 3.5.2014.
9. Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record.
10. I have perused the order dated 3.5.2014 passed by the Consolidation Officer. A specific finding has been recorded in the aforesaid order that the counsel appearing on behalf of petitioner submitted his vakalatnama before the Assistant Consolidation Officer on 30.9.2003. Subsequently a vakalatnama was also filed by the same counsel before the Consolidation Officer on behalf of the petitioner on 3.10.2013. The welfare stamp was appended along-with the vakalatnama dated 30.9.2003. The welfare stamp which was appended was issued from book No.147 Serial No.26 Welfare Stamp Serial No.C-0888655 and the Welfare Stamp appended along-with the vakalatnama dated 3.10.2013 was issued from Book No.147 Serial No.27 Welfare Stamp Serial No.C-0888695. Further findings were recorded that from perusal of the aforesaid it is clear that both the vakalatnamas were obtained by the petitioner on the same day namely in the month of October, 2013. The aforesaid manipulation was made by her in order to prove that the objections were filed by her before publication of Section 52 of the Act, 1953. Further findings were recorded that though the application was filed after more than ten years along-with application under Section 5 of the Indian Limitation Act no affidavit was submitted. It is further clear from perusal of the application that no reasons were given in the same for condonation of delay.
11. In the circumstances, the claim set up by the petitioner for mutation of her name in the revenue records was rejected by the Consolidation Officer vide its order dated 3.5.2014. Against the aforesaid order an appeal was preferred by the petitioner before the Settlement Officer of Consolidation. Without considering the relevant aspect of the matter, the same was allowed by him vide its order dated 18.09.2014 and without giving any cogent reasons the order passed by the Consolidation Officer dated 3.5.2014 was set aside and the matter was remanded before the Consolidation Officer, Budaun, to provide the opportunity of hearing to the petitioner.
12. Against the aforesaid order dated 18.9.2014 passed by the Settlement Officer of Consolidation, a revision was preferred by the respondent no.2. Respondent no.1 allowed the revision preferred by the respondent no.2 vide its order dated 19.5.2015. Findings have been duly recorded by him in the order that the alleged unregistered Will deed dated 4.3.2003 was placed by the petitioner before the Consolidation Officer for the first time in the year 2013 and the aforesaid Will deed is absolutely forged. It is further stated that writer of the Will deed has refused the execution of the aforesaid Will. The findings were further recorded that the Consolidation Officer, Budaun, rejected the claim set up by the petitioner by giving cogent reasons but thereafter wholly illegally the appeal preferred by the petitioner was allowed without recording any reasons.
13. From perusal of the facts as narrated above, it is clear that the claim was set up by the petitioner before the Consolidation Officer, Budaun, on the basis of forged unregistered Will deed dated 4.3.2003. It further appears that the executor of the Will died on the next day of the execution of the Will namely dated 5.3.2003. Further no proceedings were initiated by the petitioner for mutation of her name in the revenue records for more than ten years. For the first time two applications were submitted by the petitioner before the Consolidation Officer in the year 2013. The manipulation was done only in order to get the advantage of limitation mentioning the year 2003 in place of 2013. The application submitted by the petitioner before the Assistant Consolidation Officer in the year 2003 in fact was submitted for first time in the year 2013. It is further clear from perusal of the counter affidavit filed by the respondent no.2 that she is getting the pension of her husband namely Sri Rameshwar Dayal Mishra after his death.
14. Nothing has been stated in the entire writ petition nor any arguments have been made by the counsel for the petitioner that how and in what manner the reasons given by the Consolidation Officer as well as by the Deputy Director of Consolidation, Budaun are perverse, illegal or wrong.
15. From perusal of the facts as narrated above it is clear that deliberately a fraud has been committed by the petitioner in order to get the advantage of limitation. Fraud vitiated every solemn proceedings and no right can be claimed by a fraudster on the ground of technicalities. The definition of the word "fraud" has been defined in Black's Law Dictionary, which is as under :-
"Fraud means: (1) A knowing misrepresentation of the truth or concealment of a material fact to induce another to act to his or her detriment. Fraud is usually a tort, but in some cases (esp. when the conduct is willful) it may be a crime. (2) A misrepresentation made recklessly without belief in its truth to induce another person to act. (3) A tort arising from a knowing misrepresentation, concealment of material fact, or reckless misrepresentation made to induce another to act to his or her detriment. (4) Unconscionable dealing; esp., in contract law, the unconscientious use of the power arising out of the parties' relative positions and resulting in an unconscionable bargain."
16. Halsbury's Law of England has defined fraud as follows:
"Whenever a person makes a false statement which he does not actually and honestly believe to be true, for purpose of civil liability, the statement is as fraudulent as if he had stated that which he did know to be true, or know or believed to be false. Proof of absence of actual and honest belief is all that is necessary to satisfy the requirement of the law, whether the representation has been made recklessly or deliberately, indifference or reckless on the part of the representor as to the truth or falsity of the representation affords merely an instance of absence of such a belief."
17. In KERR on the Law of Fraud and Mistake, fraud has been defined thus:
"It is not easy to give a definition of what constitutes fraud in the extensive significance in which that term is understood by Civil Courts of Justice. The Courts have always avoided hampering themselves by defining or laying down as a general proposition what shall be held to constitute fraud. Fraud is infinite in variety...Courts have always declined to define it, ...reserving to themselves the liberty to deal with it under whatever form it may present itself. Fraud...may be said to include property all acts, omissions, and concealments which involve a breach of legal or equitable duty, trust or confidence, justly reposed, and are injurious to another, or by which an undue or unconscientious advantage is taken of another. All surprise, trick, cunning, dissembling and other unfair way that is used to cheat anyone is considered as fraud. Fraud in all cases implies a willful act on the part of anyone, whereby another is sought to be deprived, by illegal or inequitable means, of what he is entitled too."
18. In S.P. Chengalvaray Naidu v. Jagannath, reported in (1994) 1 SCC 1, the Supreme Court noted that the issue of fraud goes to the root of the matter and it exercised powers under Article 136 to cure the defect. The Supreme Court observed:
"5. The High Court, in our view, fell into patent error. The short question before the High Court was whether, in the facts and circumstances of this case, Jagannath obtained the preliminary decree by playing fraud on the court. The High Court, however, went haywire and made observations which are wholly perverse. We do not agree with the High Court that "there is no legal duty cast upon the plaintiff to come to court with a true case and prove it by true evidence". The principle of "finality of litigation" cannot be pressed to the extent of such an absurdity that it becomes an engine of fraud in the hands of dishonest litigant. The courts of law are meant for imparting justice between the parties. One who comes to the court must come with clean hands. We are constrained to say that more often than not, the process of the court is being abused. Property- grabbers, tax-evaders, bank-loandodgers and other unscrupulous persons from all walks of life find the court process a convenient lever to retain the illegal-gains indefinitely. We have no hesitation to say that a person, who's case is based on falsehood, has no right to approach the court. He can be summarily thrown out at any stage of the litigation.
6. The facts of the present case leave no manner of doubt that Jagannath obtained the preliminary decree by playing fraud on the court. A fraud is an act of deliberate deception with the design of securing something by taking unfair advantage of another. It is a deception in order to gain by another's loss. It is a cheating intended to get an advantage. Jagannath was working as a clerk with Chunilal Sowcar. He purchased the property in the court auction on behalf of Chunilal Sowcar. He had, on his own volition, executed the registered release deed (Exhibit B-1 S) in favour of Chunilal Sowcar regarding the property in dispute. He knew that the appellants had paid the total decretal amount to his master Chunilal Sowcar. Without disclosing all these facts, he filed the suit for the partition of the property on the ground that he had purchased the property on his own behalf and not on behalf of Chunilal Sowcar. Non production and even non mentioning of the release deed at the trial tantamounts to playing fraud on the court. We do not agree with the observations of the High Court that the appellants defendants could have easily produced the certified registered copy of Exhibit B-15 and non suited the plaintiff. A litigant, who approaches the court, is bound to produce all the documents executed by him which are relevant to the litigation. If he withholds a vital document in order to gain advantage on the other side then he would be guilty of playing fraud on the court as well as on the opposite party."
19. In the case of Ram Chandra Singh v. Savitri Devi, reported in (2003) 8 SCC 319, it was held by the Supreme Court that fraud vitiates every solemn act. Fraud and justice never dwell together and it cannot be perpetuated or saved by the petitioner on any equitable doctrine including resjudicata. The relevant paragraphs of the aforesaid judgement are as follows :-
"15. Commission of fraud on court and suppression of material facts are the core issues involved in these matters. Fraud, as is well known, vitiates every solemn act. Fraud and justice never dwell together.
16. Fraud is a conduct either by letter or words, which induces the other person, or authority to take a definite determinative stand as a response to the conduct of former either by word or letter.
17. It is also well settled that misrepresentation itself amounts to fraud. Indeed, innocent misrepresentation may also give reason to claim relief against fraud.
18. A fraudulent misrepresentation is called deceit and consists in leading a man into damage by willfully or recklessly causing him to believe and act on falsehood. It is a fraud in law if a party makes representations which he knows to be false, and injury ensues therefrom although the motive from which the representations proceeded may not have been bad.
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23. An act of fraud on court is always viewed seriously. A collusion or conspiracy with a view to deprive the rights of the others in relation to a property would render the transaction void ab initio. Fraud and deception are synonymous.
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25. Although in a given case a deception may not amount to fraud, fraud is anathema to all equitable principles and any affair tainted with fraud cannot be perpetuated or saved by the application of any equitable doctrine including res-judicata."
(emphasis supplied)
20. In the case of State of A.P. v. T. Suryachandra Rao, reported in (2005) 6 SCC 149, it was observed by the Supreme Court that where land which was offered for surrender had already been acquired by the State and the same had vested in it. It was held that merely because an enquiry was made, the Tribunal was not divested of the power to correct the error when the respondent had clearly committed a fraud. Following observations were made:
"7. The order of the High Court is clearly erroneous. There is no dispute that the land which was offered for surrender by the respondent had already been acquired by the State and the same had vested in it. This was clearly a case of fraud. Merely because an enquiry was made, Tribunal was not divested of the power to correct the error when the respondent had clearly committed a fraud.
8. By "fraud" is meant an intention to deceive; whether it is from any expectation of advantage to the party himself or from the ill will towards the other is immaterial. The expression "fraud" involves two elements, deceit, and injury to the person deceived. Injury is something other than economic loss, that is, deprivation of property, whether movable or immovable or of any person in body, mind, reputation or such others. In short, it is a non-economic or non-pecuniary loss. A benefit or advantage to the deceiver, will almost always call loss or detriment to the deceived. Even in those rare cases where there is a benefit or advantage to the deceiver, but no corresponding loss to the deceived, the second condition is satisfied. [See Dr. Vimla v. Delhi Administration, 1963 Supp (2) SCR 585 and Indian Bank v. Satyam Febres (India) Pvt. Ltd., (1996) 5 SCC 550]
9. A "fraud" is an act of deliberate deception with the design of securing something by taking unfair advantage of another. It is a deception in order to gain by another's loss. It is a cheating intended to get an advantage. (See S.P. Changalvaraya Naidu v. Jagannath, (1994)1 SCC 1.
10."Fraud" as is well known vitiates every solemn act. Fraud and justice never dwell together. Fraud is a conduct either by letter or words, which includes the other person or authority to take a definite determinative stand as a response to the conduct of the former either by words or letter. It is also well settled that misrepresentation itself amounts to fraud. Indeed, innocent misrepresentation may also give reason to claim relief against fraud. A fraudulent misrepresentation is called deceit and consists in leading a man into damage by willfully or recklessly causing him to believe and act on falsehood. It is a fraud in law if a party makes representations, which he knows to be false, and injury enures therefrom although the motive from which the representations proceeded may not have been bad. An act of fraud on court is always viewed seriously. A collusion or conspiracy with a view to deprive the rights of the others in relation to a property would render the transaction void ab initio. Fraud and deception are synonymous. Although in a given case a deception may not amount to fraud, fraud is anathema to all equitable principles and any affair tainted with fraud cannot be perpetuated or saved by the application of any equitable doctrine including resjudicata. (See Ram Chandra Singh v. Savitri Devi and Ors., (2003) 8 SCC 319.) *** *** ***
13. This aspect of the matter has been considered recently by this Court in Roshan Deen v. Preeti Lal, (2002)1 SCC 100, Ram Preeti Yadav v. U.P. Board of High School and Intermediate Education, (2003) 8 SCC 311, Ram Chandra Singh v. Savitri Devi, (2003) 8 SCC 319 and Ashok Leyland Ltd. v. State of T.N. And Anr., (2004) 3 SCC 1.
14. Suppression of a material document would also amount to a fraud on the court, (see Gowrishankar v. Joshi Amba Shankar Family Trust,(1996) 3 SCC 310 and S.P. Chengalvaraya Naidu v. Jagannath, (1994)1 SCC1).
15. "Fraud" is a conduct either by letter or words, which induces the other person or authority to take a definite determinative stand as a response to the conduct of the former either by words or letter. Although negligence is not fraud it can be evidence of fraud; as observed in Ram Preeti Yadav, (2003) 8 SCC 311.
16. In Lazarus Estate Ltd. v. Beasley (1956) 1 QB 702, Lord Denning observed at pages 712 & 713: (AllER p. 345C) "No judgment of a Court no order of a Minister can be allowed to stand if it has been obtained by fraud. Fraud unravels everything."
In the same judgment, Lord Parker LJ observed that fraud "vitiates all transactions known to the law of however high a degree of solemnity".
(emphasis supplied)
21. In the case of Jai Narain Parasrampuria v. Pushpa Devi Saraf reported (2006)7 SCC 756, the Supreme Court observed that fraud vitiates every solemn act. Any order or decree obtained by practicing fraud is a nullity. This Court held as under:
"55. It is now well settled that fraud vitiated all solemn act. Any order or decree obtained by practicing fraud is a nullity. [See.1)Ram Chandra Singh v. Savitri Devi and Ors., (2003) 8 SCC 319 followed in (2) Vice Chairman, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, and Anr. v. Girdhari Lal Yadav, (2004) 6 SCC 325; (3) State of A.P. and Anr. v. T. Suryachandra Rao, (2005) 6 SCC 149; (4)Ishwar Dutt v. Land Acquisition Collector and Anr., (2005) 7 SCC 190; (5) Lillykutty v. Scrutiny Committee, SC & ST Ors., (2005) 8 SCC 283; (6) Chief Engineer, M.S.E.B. and Anr. v. Suresh Raghunath Bhokare, (2005) 10 SCC 465; (7) Smt. Satya v. Shri Teja Singh, (1975) 1 SCC 120; (8) Mahboob Sahab v. Sayed Ismail, (1995) 3 SCC 693; and (9) Asharfi Lal v. Koili, (1995)4 SCC 163.]"
(emphasis supplied)
22. In A.V. Papayya Sastry v. Govt. of A.P., reported in (2007) 4 SCC 221, the Supreme Court was pleased to held that if any judgement or order is obtained by fraud it cannot be said to be a judgement or order. The relevant portion of the aforesaid judgement is quoted below :-
"19. Now, it is well-settled principle of law that if any judgment or order is obtained by fraud, it cannot be said to be a judgment or order in law. Before three centuries, Chief Justice Edward Coke proclaimed;
Fraud avoids all judicial acts, ecclesiastical or temporal.
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22. It is thus settled proposition of law that a judgment, decree or order obtained by playing fraud on the Court, Tribunal or Authority is a nullity and non-est in the eye of law. Such a judgment, decree or order by the first Court or by the final Court has to be treated as nullity by every Court, superior or inferior. It can be challenged in any Court, at any time, in appeal, revision, writ or even in collateral proceedings.
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38. The matter can be looked at from a different angle as well. Suppose, a case is decided by a competent Court of Law after hearing the parties and an order is passed in favour of the applicant/plaintiff which is upheld by all the courts including the final Court. Let us also think of a case where this Court does not dismiss Special Leave Petition but after granting leave decides the appeal finally by recording reasons. Such order can truly be said to be a judgment to which Article 141 of the Constitution applies. Likewise, the doctrine of merger also gets attracted. All orders passed by the courts/authorities below, therefore, merge in the judgment of this Court and after such judgment, it is not open to any party to the judgment to approach any court or authority to review, recall or reconsider the order.
39. The above principle, however, is subject to exception of fraud. Once it is established that the order was obtained by a successful party by practising or playing fraud, it is vitiated. Such order cannot be held legal, valid or in consonance with law. It is non-existent and nonest and cannot be allowed to stand. This is the fundamental principle of law and needs no further elaboration. Therefore, it has been said that a judgment, decree or order obtained by fraud has to be treated as nullity, whether by the court of first instance or by the final court. And it has to be treated as nonest by every Court, superior or inferior."
23. The Supreme Court again in the case of Madhukar Sadbha Shivarkar v. State of Maharashtra, reported in (2015) 6 SCC 557, held that fraud had been played by showing the records and the orders obtained unlawfully by the declarant, would be a nullity in the eye of law though such orders have attained finality. Following observations were made in paragrah 27 of the aforesaid judgement, which reads as follows :-
"27. The said order is passed by the State Government only to enquire into the landholding records with a view to find out asto whether original land revenue records have been destroyed and fabricated to substantiate their unjustifiable claim by playing fraud upon the Tehsildar and appellate authorities to obtain the orders unlawfully in their favour by showing that there is no surplus land with the Company and its shareholders as the valid subleases are made and they are accepted by them in the proceedings Under Section 21 of the Act, on the basis of the alleged false declarations filed by the shareholders and sub- lessees Under Section 6 of the Act. The plea urged on behalf of the State Government and the defacto complainants owners, at whose instance the orders are passed by the State Government on the alleged ground of fraud played by the declarants upon the Tehsildar and appellate authorities to get the illegal orders obtained by them to come out from the clutches of the land ceiling provisions of the Act by creating the revenue records, which is the fraudulent act on their part which unravels everything and therefore, the question of limitation under the provisions to exercise power by the State Government does not arise at all. For this purpose, the Deputy Commissioner of Pune Division was appointed as the Enquiry Officer to hold such an enquiry to enquire into the matter and submit his report for consideration of the Government to take further action in the matter. The legal contentions urged by Mr. Naphade, in justification at this stage, we are satisfied that the allegation of fraud in relation to getting the land holdings of the villages referred to supra by the declarants on the alleged ground of destroying original revenue records and fabricating revenue records to show that there are 384 sub-leases of the land involved in the proceedings to retain the surplus land illegally as alleged, to the extent of more than 3000 acres of land and the orders are obtained unlawfully by the declarants in the land ceiling limits will be nullity in the eye of law though such orders have attained finality, they are tainted with fraud, the same can be interfered with by the State Government and its officers to pass appropriate orders. The landowners are also aggrieved parties to agitate their rights to get the orders which are obtained by the declarants as they are vitiated in law on account of nullity is the tenable submission and the same is well founded and therefore, we accept the submission to justify the impugned judgment and order of the Division Bench of the High Court."
24. In the facts and circumstances, the Court is of the opinion that the order passed by the Deputy Director of Consolidation dated 19.5.2015 is absolutely perfect and valid order and does not call for any interference by this Court specially under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.
25. The writ petition being devoid of merit is hereby dismissed.
Order Date :- 13.5.2020 Pramod Tripathi