2025 (5) TMI 1293 - HC - Benami Property

Suit filed on the ground of limitation after 18 years - application filed under the provision of Order VII Rule 11 of Code of Civil Procedure - seeking possession of the suit premises -section-4 of Benami Transaction Act, 1988 - name of the plaintiff could not be entered into in revenue record - cause of action to file the suit has arisen as the sale deed has been executed by defendant No.1 on 14.08.2006 and thereby for the first time defendant No.1 has breached the faith and trust put by the plaintiff by virtue of the understanding that was arrived at in the year 1989 - HELD THAT - In view of the fact that the trial Court has also framed issue with respect to whether the issue of suit being hit of section-4 of Benami Transaction Act, 1988 and also on the point of limitation. The fact remains that the judgments on which the learned advocate for the defendant relies are on the issue of limitation but in view of the fact that the plaintiff has categorically stated in the plaint that the plaintiff has claimed that he gained knowledge of the fact that the defendant is not ready and willing to abide by the understanding that have been arrived at between the plaintiff and defendant No.1 in the year 1988 whereby the defendant had agreed not to transfer assign sell the property and had also admitted the fact that the plaintiff is the owner of the property and the plaintiff has paid the entire sale consideration. In view of the said fact the judgment on which the defendant has relied will not be of much assistance to the defendant and therefore when the plaintiff is alleging that the fraud has been committed by which the defendant is not ready and willing to abide by the understanding arrived at between the plaintiff and defendant and for the first time has committed the breach of the said agreement by executing the sale deed only in the year 2006 therefore the said issue can only be decided after leading oral evidence and the said issue cannot be decided summarily and the same being triable issue the suit cannot be thrown out at the thresh hold and the defendant cannot pick up the few sentence and therefore from the plaint and content that the defendant had knowledge about the breach committed by the defendant. It is true and settled law that though Court is required to be extremely careful regarding frivolous and vexatious litigations creeping in the judicial system and consequently abusing the process of law. This requires Courts to exercise their power under Order VII Rule 11 to nip such litigation in the bud. It is therefore settled law that such a drastic step cannot be taken when upon a holistic reading of the Plaint it does not appear to be barred by any law or discloses a cause of action (along with the other grounds of the said Rule). In such situations the Plaint must go to trial and the Trial Court in accordance with law may allow or reject the same as deemed appropriate. Thus this Court does not deem it fit to take recourse of the drastic powers conferred under Order VII Rule 11 for rejection of the Plaint and accordingly the present Civil Revision Application is dismissed. The connected Civil Application if any shall also stand dismissed.

The core legal questions considered by the Court in this matter are:

1. Whether the suit filed by the plaintiff is barred by limitation, given that the original transaction took place in 1988-1989 and the suit was filed in 2007.

2. Whether the suit is barred under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988, specifically under Section 4 of the Act.

3. Whether the application filed under Order VII Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) to reject the plaint at the threshold was rightly rejected by the trial Court.

4. The scope and applicability of Order VII Rule 11 CPC in rejecting a plaint on grounds of limitation and statutory bar without leading full evidence.

Issue-wise Detailed Analysis

1. Limitation Bar on the Suit

Legal Framework and Precedents: The Limitation Act governs the time period within which a suit must be filed. The defendant argued that since the original sale deed was executed in 1988 and the suit was filed only in 2007, the suit is barred by limitation. The defendant relied on judgments emphasizing strict adherence to limitation periods.

Court's Interpretation and Reasoning: The Court noted the plaintiff's claim that the cause of action arose only in 2006, when the defendant No.1 executed a sale deed in favor of third parties (defendants No.2 and 3), thereby breaching the earlier understanding. The plaintiff asserted that the original transaction was based on an agreement that defendant No.1 held title in trust and that the plaintiff was the beneficial owner having paid the entire sale consideration.

Key Evidence and Findings: The plaintiff produced documentary evidence including a receipt dated 07.11.1988 (Exhibit-3/1) where defendant No.1 acknowledged receipt of the entire sale consideration from the plaintiff, and a memorandum of understanding dated 05.01.1989 (Exhibit-63) wherein defendant No.1 admitted that the plaintiff was the owner and agreed not to transfer the property to any third party. The Court observed that the breach of this understanding occurred only in 2006, which triggered the cause of action.

Application of Law to Facts: The Court held that limitation runs from the date of breach or denial of rights, which in this case was 2006, not from the date of the original sale deed. Therefore, the suit filed in 2007 was within the period of limitation.

Treatment of Competing Arguments: While the defendant argued that the suit was filed after 18 years and thus barred, the Court emphasized the plaintiff's pleadings and documentary evidence showing the breach occurred in 2006. The Court found that limitation could not be decided summarily at the threshold without evidence.

Conclusion: The limitation bar could not be established at the stage of Order VII Rule 11 application as the cause of action arose in 2006, and this was a triable issue requiring evidence.

2. Bar under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988

Legal Framework and Precedents: Section 4 of the Benami Transactions Act prohibits any person from recovering property held benami. The defendant contended that the suit was barred under this Act as the property was purchased in the name of defendant No.1 but beneficially owned by the plaintiff, thus attracting benami transaction provisions.

Court's Interpretation and Reasoning: The Court observed that whether the transaction was benami or not is a question of fact and requires thorough examination of evidence. The Court noted that the plaintiff's case was based on a written agreement and acknowledgment by defendant No.1, which prima facie negated the benami nature of the transaction.

Key Evidence and Findings: The memorandum of understanding and receipt acknowledged payment and ownership rights, which the plaintiff claimed established his beneficial ownership. The Court held that the question of benami transaction could not be decided without evidence and was not amenable to summary rejection at the Order VII Rule 11 stage.

Application of Law to Facts: The Court found that the issue of whether the suit was barred under the Benami Transactions Act was a triable issue and could not be decided on the pleadings alone.

Treatment of Competing Arguments: The defendant argued that the suit was barred by law under the Benami Transactions Act and thus liable to be rejected summarily. The Court rejected this contention, stating that the issue required detailed evidence and trial.

Conclusion: The Benami Transactions Act bar was not established at the threshold and required trial for proper adjudication.

3. Application under Order VII Rule 11 CPC to Reject the Plaint

Legal Framework and Precedents: Order VII Rule 11 CPC empowers the Court to reject a plaint if it does not disclose a cause of action or the suit is barred by law. However, this power is drastic and must be exercised cautiously. The Court relied on the Supreme Court's ruling in P.V. Guru Raj Reddy v. P. Neeradha Reddy, which emphasized that rejection under Order VII Rule 11 is permissible only when it is clear from the plaint itself that the suit is barred or there is no cause of action.

Court's Interpretation and Reasoning: The Court reiterated that at the stage of Order VII Rule 11, only the plaint and documents annexed thereto are to be considered. The stand of the defendants in their written statements or applications is immaterial. The Court must read the plaint as a whole and decide if it discloses a cause of action or is barred by law on its face.

Key Evidence and Findings: The plaint disclosed a cause of action based on breach of trust and denial of ownership rights in 2006. The documents annexed supported the plaintiff's claim. The trial Court had already framed issues relating to limitation and the Benami Transactions Act, indicating the existence of triable issues.

Application of Law to Facts: The Court held that the trial Court correctly rejected the Order VII Rule 11 application, as the plaint did disclose a cause of action and was not barred by law on its face. The issues raised were triable and required evidence.

Treatment of Competing Arguments: The defendant argued that the plaint was barred by limitation and the Benami Transactions Act and thus liable to be rejected summarily. The Court disagreed, emphasizing the need for trial to resolve factual disputes.

Conclusion: The rejection of the plaint under Order VII Rule 11 was rightly refused by the trial Court, and the suit was to proceed to trial.

4. Scope and Caution in Exercising Power under Order VII Rule 11 CPC

Legal Framework and Precedents: The Court emphasized the settled principle that rejection of plaint under Order VII Rule 11 is a drastic remedy and should be exercised sparingly and only when the plaint clearly discloses no cause of action or is barred by law.

Court's Interpretation and Reasoning: The Court cited the Supreme Court's ruling that the plaint must be read holistically, and the Court cannot decide disputed questions of fact or go beyond the pleadings at this stage.

Application of Law to Facts: The Court found that the plaint contained sufficient averments and documentary evidence to disclose a cause of action and that the issues of limitation and benami nature were triable issues not fit for summary rejection.

Conclusion: The Court held that the trial Court's rejection of the defendant's Order VII Rule 11 application was correct and that the suit should proceed to trial.

Significant Holdings

"Rejection of the plaint under Order 7 Rule 11 of CPC is a drastic power conferred in the court to terminate a civil action at the threshold. The conditions precedent to the exercise of power under Order 7 Rule 11, therefore, are stringent and have been consistently held to be so by the Court. It is the averments in the plaint that have to be read as a whole to find out whether it discloses a cause of action or whether the suit is barred under any law. At the stage of exercise of power under Order 7 Rule 11, the stand of the Defendants in the written statement or in the application for rejection of the plaint is wholly immaterial. It is only if the averments in the plaint ex facie do not disclose a cause of action or on a reading thereof the suit appears to be barred under any law the plaint can be rejected. In all other situations, the claims will have to be adjudicated in the course of the trial."

The Court established that the limitation period begins from the date of breach of the agreement and not from the date of the original transaction or sale deed registration. The cause of action arose in 2006 when the defendant No.1 breached the trust by transferring the property to third parties.

The Court held that the question of whether the transaction is benami under the Benami Transactions Act, 1988 is a triable issue and cannot be decided summarily at the threshold.

The final determination was that the trial Court rightly rejected the application under Order VII Rule 11 CPC to reject the plaint, and the suit was not barred by limitation or the Benami Transactions Act on the face of the plaint. The suit was to proceed to trial for adjudication on merits.

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