BADRI ZAMAN vs MUHAMMAD ASHRAF AND OTHERS
This matter arises from a petition for leave to appeal against the judgment and order of the Peshawar High Court dismissing a civil revision in limine. The petitioner had instituted a suit for declaration and possession, challenging a registered sale-deed dated 20th February 1954 as collusive, fraudulent, and without consideration, which was dismissed concurrently by the lower courts. The core legal question concerned the admissibility and validity of a certified copy of a registered sale-deed and the presumption of its fictitious nature when the original was allegedly not produced by the defendants. The Supreme Court held that the concurrent findings and the registered status of the sale-deed stood, noting that the petitioner failed to summon the identifying witnesses or the relevant Sub-Registrar's clerk, and omitted to challenge the corresponding revenue entries or seek cancellation of the sale-deed in a timely manner. The petition for leave to appeal was accordingly dismissed.
- Whether a certified copy of a registered sale-deed is inadmissible when the primary document is allegedly withheld?
- Does a failure to challenge revenue record entries or seek cancellation of a registered sale-deed preclude a later claim of fraud?
- Whether concurrent findings of lower courts regarding the validity of a sale-deed warrant interference in civil revision or leave to appeal?
ORDER
' MIAN BURHANUDDIN KHAN, J.-By this petition leave is sought to appeal against the judgment and order of the Peshawar High Court, Abbottabad Circuit, dated 14th May, 1983, passed in Civil Revision No, 148 of 1982.
2. Badri Zaman, petitioner, instituted a suit in the Court of the learned Civil Judge, Mansehra for declaration and in the alternative, for possession of the land to the effect that he was the owner in possession of the same and the sale of the suit property, on his behalf, in favour of defendants Nis. 1 to 3 through registered sale-deed, dated 20-2-1954 was collusive, fraudulent and without consideration. The suit was dismissed by the learned Civil Judge and appeal filed before the learned District Judge was also dismissed. Thereafter, the petitioner filed Civil Revision which was dismissed in limine by the learned High Court vide the impugned order.
3. We have heard the learned counsel and considered his contention and we find no substance in them. His main contention is that the defendants did not produce the original deed but only a certified copy ; that certified document would not be admissible when the primary evidence of the document itself was not produced by the defendant despite the fact that the original document was lying with him ; that in the circumstances of the case a presumption arises that the criminal deed is not a sale-deed but a faked sale-deed has been copied out instead by the concerned clerk in the office of Sub-Registrar. Learned counsel for the respondents also produced Photostat copy of the sale-deed, dated 20-2-1954. This document was registered and entered in the office of the Sub-Registrar, Mansehra. The argument that this is a fictitious document is belied by the very fact that the witnesses who had identified the respondent before the Sub-Registrar, were not called nor the Clerk the Sub-Registrar's office, who had entered and registered the document, as sent for by the petitioner. Moreover, the said entry in the Revenue record was made when the aforesaid document was registered but the petitioner challenged neither the entry in the revenue record nor brought a suit for cancellation of the aforesaid registered sale-deed. We, therefore, find no merit in this petition which is accordingly, dismissed.
Cited by 2 cases
- NIZ AR ALI vs NOORABAD COOPERATIVE HOUSING SOCIETY LTD and OTHERS 1987 PLD Karachi 676
- NIZAR ALI vs NOORABAD COOPERATIVE HOUSING SOCIETY LTD And Other 1987 PLD Karachi 676