Skip to content
How to use Judgment tools
  1. Click Tools to open PDF, Print, Tag, Note, Favourite, and CiteSignal.
  2. Use Brief & Ask in the toolbar for the AI Brief and case chat.
  3. Jump to sections with the pills below the help bar.

Asha Batra and ors. Vs. Dharam Devi

Asha Batra and ors. vs Dharam Devi

Disposition Petition dismissed Court Delhi Decided Feb 11, 2004
~4 min read
https://sooperkanoon.com/case/681102

For advocates & juniors · 7-day free trial

Brief this judgment before chambers

Stop skimming 50 pages - get an 18-section AI Brief on this case, ask scoped follow-ups, and find related precedents with Semantic Search. Full trial, no card required.

  • 18-section brief - facts, issues, ratio, relief
  • Ask this case - answers cite the judgment
  • Semantic search - find precedents by meaning
  • Research drawer - sections, cites, related cases

No card required · credentials emailed · Log in if you already have an account

Citation
Court
Delhi High Court
Judge
Decided On
Case Number
CRP No. 747/2001
Subject
Civil;Property
Disposition
Petition dismissed

Case Summary

AI-generated summary - not the official court judgment text.

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 - Section 116--Revision--Suit for injunction against threat of dispossession--Suit seeking relief against the defendant and his agent and not his legal representatives--Held that the suit came to an end on the death of defendant--Suit held to have been abated and deemed to have been dismis...

Key legal issue
Civil;Property
Outcome / disposition
Petition dismissed
Acts & sections
Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) - Sections 115

Parties & Advocates

Appellant / Petitioner

Asha Batra and ors.

Advocate D.S. Patial, Adv

Respondent

Dharam Devi

Advocate N.N. Anand, Adv.

Legal References

Acts
Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) - Sections 115
Reported In
109(2004)DLT852; 2004(73)DRJ154

Excerpt

.....of the husband. a petition seeking protection of minor child was thereupon filed by father of the husband before delhi high court. a direction for handing over custody of child to father of husband was also sought. the high court considering fact that the u.k. court was already in seisin of matter and had passed an interim order and by relying on principle of comity of nations and comity of judgments of the courts of two different countries in deciding the matter directed the wife to take the child of her own to u.k.or hand it over to father of husband to be taken to u.k. as measure of interim custody and that it would be for the u.k. court to decide the question of custody - order was challenged by wife - held, the order of high court was not liable to be interfered with. although, on first impression, it would appear that the interests of the minor child would best be served if she is allowed to remain with the wife, the order of u.k. court cannot be lost sight of., the order of u.k. court except for insisiting that the minor be returned to its jurisdiction, the english court did not intend to separate the child from the mother until a final decision was taken with regard to the custody of the child. the ultimate decision in that regard has to be left to the english court having regard to the nationality of the child and the fact that both the parents had worked for gain in the u.k. and had also acquired permanent resident status in the u.k. english court has not directed that the custody of the child should be handed over to the father but that the child should be returned to the jurisdiction of the courts in the u.k. which would then proceed to determine as to who would be best suited to have the custody of the child. the high court has taken into consideration both the questions relating to the comity of courts as well as the interest of the minor child, which, no doubt, is one of the most important considerations in matters relating to custody of..........dilatory tactics of the plaintiff. these allegations do not call for determination before me. one option which is available to this court is to dismiss the revision on the grounds that the same conclusion could have been arrived at in the judgment in the suit. it is certainly arguable that, being akin to an interlocutory order, this court need not exercise its jurisdiction especially after the amendment in section 115 of the code of civil procedure and the pronouncements of the apex court in shiv shakti coop. housing society, nagpur vs . swaraj developers and others, : [2003]3scr762 . 6. despite these weighty considerations, in my view, the revision calls to be accepted. the suit has clearly come to an end on the death of the defendant. any apprehensions that the plaintiff may have on the grounds of forcible dispossession would become an illusion for the reason that it is the legal heirs of the defendant who are objecting to their impleadment in the suit. the only inference that can be drawn for this objection is that they have not threatened the plaintiff with dispossession. for this reason no useful purpose will be served in the suit continuing in the lower court. there is no dispute pending between the parties. the suit shall be deemed to have been dismissed. 7. it also transpires that an order favorable to the respondents herein has been passed by the financial commissioner so far as the title of the property is concerned. i am informed that that decision has been challenged by way of writ petition and its operation has been stayed.8. the dismissal of this petition shall not be construed as a reflection or finding on the title of the respective parties to ownership of the land since that question had not arisen in the suit for injunction.9. the revision petition is disposed of with these observations.

Full Judgment

Vikramajit Sen, J.

1. This Revision is against the Order dated 24.3.2001 passed by Civil Judge, Delhi in Suit No. 15/1999 in terms of which the Revisionists have been imp leaded as Defendants in the civil suit which is still pending adjudication. The Respondent herein is the Plaintiff in that suit and the father of the Revisionists was the only Defendant. Paras 9 and 10 of the plaint read as follows :

'That the Plaintiff has several times asked the Defendant not to interfere in her possession, but the Defendant has failed to accede to the request of the Plaintiff and is always threatening to interfere with her possession.

That the cause of action arose in favor of the Plaintiff and against the Defendant on 12.5.1984 when the Defendant started interfering with the possession and enjoyment of the Plaintiff over the land in question.

It also arose on various occasions and it further arose on 13.5.1984 when the Defendant again tried illegally with the possession of the Plaintiff and a report was lodged with the local police. It is still continuing one on account of threats by the Defendant.'

2. Relying on the observations of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Kakumanu pedasubhayya and another, Vs . Kakumanu Akkamma and another, : [1959]1SCR1249 (V 45 C 146) and Girijanandini Devi and others Vs . Bijendra Narain Choudhary, : [1967]1SCR93 (V 54 C 234), the Trial Court had imp leaded the legal heirs of the deceased Defendant. Girijanandini Devi's case (supra) does not apply for the reason that the relief in that suit was for partition which is obviously run with the property and would continue even in respect of legal heirs of the original parties. So far as Kakumanu's case (supra) is concerned that is for rendition of accounts and would thereforee continue and the same position is arrived at in Girijanandini's case since the prayer for partition would continue.

3. A perusal of these paragraphs, as well as a holistic reading of the plaint, discloses that the Plaintiff had perceived a threat from the Defendant. In the plaint the Plaintiff has alleged that it was the Defendant, namely, Shanti Sarup Batra who had threatened to dispossess the Plaintiff. No doubt in the plaint it has been mentioned that the Defendant and his agents are threatening to dispossess the Plaintiff but the names and particulars of the agents have not been disclosed. It is far too much to expect that the legal representatives should be taken to fall within the term 'agent'.

4. In my view the suit being simply for the grant of injunction, it would come to an end on the death of the Defendant. This view has also been taken in Kosarichand Motichand Shah Vs . Fakirbhai Kariabhai Koli and others, : AIR1995 Bom102 where it was held that the question of abatement did not arise in for the simple reason that the suit itself would come to an end.

5. This suit has been pending since 1984. The Revisionist claims that it has been delayed for twenty long years because of dilatory tactics of the Plaintiff. These allegations do not call for determination before me. One option which is available to this Court is to dismiss the Revision on the grounds that the same conclusion could have been arrived at in the judgment in the suit. It is certainly arguable that, being akin to an interlocutory Order, this Court need not exercise its jurisdiction especially after the amendment in Section 115 of the Code of Civil Procedure and the pronouncements of the Apex Court in Shiv Shakti Coop. Housing Society, Nagpur vs . Swaraj Developers and Others, : [2003]3SCR762 .

6. Despite these weighty considerations, in my view, the Revision calls to be accepted. The suit has clearly come to an end on the death of the Defendant. Any apprehensions that the Plaintiff may have on the grounds of forcible dispossession would become an illusion for the reason that it is the legal heirs of the Defendant who are objecting to their impleadment in the suit. The only inference that can be drawn for this objection is that they have not threatened the Plaintiff with dispossession. For this reason no useful purpose will be served in the suit continuing in the Lower Court. There is no dispute pending between the parties. The Suit shall be deemed to have been dismissed.

7. It also transpires that an Order favorable to the Respondents herein has been passed by the Financial Commissioner so far as the title of the property is concerned. I am informed that that decision has been challenged by way of Writ Petition and its operation has been stayed.

8. The dismissal of this Petition shall not be construed as a reflection or finding on the title of the respective parties to ownership of the land since that question had not arisen in the suit for injunction.

9. The Revision Petition is disposed of with these observations.

Continue Your Research


AI Briefs · Semantic Search · Save & annotate judgments

Start your 7-day free trial