High Court Punjab-Haryana High Court

Shakuntla And Others vs Vikas Soni And Others on 18 March, 2009

Punjab-Haryana High Court
Shakuntla And Others vs Vikas Soni And Others on 18 March, 2009
RSA No. 266 of 2007                   1

            IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
                         AT CHANDIGARH

                           RSA No.266 of 2007
                          Decided on : 18-03-2009

Shakuntla and others
                                                  ....Appellants

                      VERSUS

Vikas Soni and others
                                                  ....Respondents

CORAM:- HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE MAHESH GROVER

Present:- Mr. Bhag Singh, Advocate for the appellants.

Mr. Sunil Pawar, Advocate for the respondents.

MAHESH GROVER, J

This is defendant’s second appeal directed against the

judgments of the learned Trial Court dated 1.6.2005 and that of the First

Appellate Court dated 16.9.2006.

A suit for ejectment and recovery of arrears of mesne

profits/use and occupation charges was filed by plaintiff-respondent no.1

seeking eviction of the present appellants on the ground that they were

tenants on the land in question for a fixed term which expired by the efflux

of time. Notice dated 5.10.1995 was served upon the appellants-defendants

to vacate the premises which was not done. Accordingly, the suit was filed

The appellants contested the suit and pleaded that Jati Ram

(husband of appellant no.1) was family purohit of one Shri Sarab Narain

and he was not paying any amount to plaintiff or his predecessors.

Appellants pleaded gift of the suit property in their favour. However, it

was admitted that tenancy was initially created in the year 1968.
RSA No. 266 of 2007 2

Both the parties went to trial on the following issues:-

1. Whether the plaintiff is entitled to possession of the suit by

way of ejectment of the defendants?OPP.

2. Whether the plaintiff is entitled to recovery of arrears of

mesne profits/use and occupation charges against the

defendants?OPP.

3. Whether the suit is bad for non joinder of necessary

parties?OPD.

4. Whether the defendants have become owners of the suit

property?ODP.

5. Relief.

Both the Courts determined that the status of the appellants

were that of tenants in view of the categoric admission made by the

appellants themselves.

Learned counsel for the appellants has contended that findings

of both the Courts below are perverse and deserve to be set aside.

On the other hand, learned counsel for the respondents has

contended that in view of the clear admission of tenancy made by the

appellants, there is hardly any ambiguity in the findings. It is alleged that

the gift as alleged by the appellants is not established.

After hearing learned counsel for the parties, I am of the

considered opinion that the appeal is totally without any merit. The

appellants themselves have admitted that they were inducted as tenants and

even in pleadings they had not denied that they were admitted as tenants in

the year 1968. In view of the categoric stand taken, the findings

determining the status of the appellants as tenants cannot be termed to be
RSA No. 266 of 2007 3

perverse so as to warrant any interference in regular second appeal. That

apart there is no evidence to suggest that there was any gift deed existing in

favour of the appellants so as to change their status from tenants to that of

owners.

In this view of the matter, when pure questions of facts are

determined and no substantial question of law has been shown to have

arisen in the present appeal, the same being devoid of any merit is hereby

dismissed.

March 18, 2009                                 (Mahesh Grover)
rekha                                             Judge