Smt. Seema Rai vs Smt. Satabdi Bose And Anr on 20 July, 2026

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    Gauhati High Court

    Smt. Seema Rai vs Smt. Satabdi Bose And Anr on 20 July, 2026

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    GAHC010139442026
    
    
    
    
                                                                      2026:GAU-AS:9943
    
                                  THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT
         (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)
    
                                      Case No. : CRP(IO)/310/2026
    
                SMT. SEEMA RAI
                W/O SRI NAGENDRA RAI, R/O COLLEGE ROAD, PARBOTIA, P.O. AND P.S.-
                TINSUKIA, DIST.- TINSUKIA, ASSAM, PIN CODE- 786125
    
                VERSUS
    
                SMT. SATABDI BOSE AND ANR
                D/O SRI SURANJIT BOSE, R/O PARBOTIA GORIKHA PATH, P.O. AND P.S.-
                TINSUKIA, DIST- TINSUKIA, ASSAM, PIN CODE- 786125
    
                2:ANUP KUMAR SINGH
                 S/O LATE GOKUL SINGH
                TEMPORARILY RESIDING AT PROFESSOR COLONY
                 C/O MD. KHALID-UD-DIN ANSWARI (OWNER OF JYOTI HOTEL)
                 NEAR MOTHER TERESSA MISSIONARY CHARITY
                TINSUKIA
                ASSAM
                 PIN- 78612
    
    Advocate for the Petitioner   : MR D KALITA,
    
    Advocate for the Respondent : ,
    
    
                                       BEFORE
                          HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ROBIN PHUKAN
                                       ORDER
    

    20.07.2026

    Heard Mr. D. Kalita, learned counsel for the petitioner.

    SPONSORED

    2. In this petition, under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, the
    Page No.# 2/9

    petitioner has challenged the order dated 25.06.2026, passed by the learned
    District Judge Tinsukia (executing court hereinafter), in Money Execution Case
    No. 35/2019, arising out of matrimonial disputes between respondent No. 1 and
    respondent No. 2.

    3. It is to be noted here that vide impugned order dated 25.06.2026, the
    learned executing court had dismissed the petition filed by the petitioner under
    Order XXI Rule 58 of the CPC along with the petition filed under Section 151 of
    the CPC.

    4. Mr. Kalita, learned counsel for the petitioner, submits that the respondent
    No. 1 herein instituted one money execution case, being Money Execution Case
    No. 35/2019, against the respondent No. 2 herein, for recovery of money,
    arising out of a compromising settlement of a matrimonial dispute between her
    and the respondent No. 2. But, the respondent No. 2, through his attorney had
    sold the schedule land in question for valuable consideration and delivery of
    possession on 15.11.2025, to the respondent No. 1, prior to the order dated
    15.05.2026, passed by the learned executing court, whereby learned executing
    court had ordered for auction sale of the schedule property.

    4.1. Mr. Kalita further submits that the petitioner herein, being the lawful owner
    of the schedule property, had filed a petition, on 22.06.2026, under Order XXI
    Rule 58 of the CPC
    , as objector/third party along with another petition, under
    Section 151 of the CPC, for stay of execution of the order dated 15.05.2026.
    But, the learned executing court, vide order dated 25.06.2026, had rejected
    both the petitions of the petitioner herein.

    4.2. Mr. Kalita also submits that the learned executing court was at unmindful
    state while deciding the scheme of adjudication of objections of third parties,
    Page No.# 3/9

    under Order XXI Rule 58 of the CPC. The learned executing court also did not
    record the submission, made before the court, in the impugned order and order
    in the order of attachment, dated 02.06.2022 and as such, it cannot be said to
    be a valid attachment order, as per provision of Order XXI Rule 58 of the CPC
    and that the order dated 02.06.2022, is void and not enforceable in law.

    4.3. Mr. Kalita also submits that the learned executing court misread,
    misconceived and misinterpreted the provision of Order XXI Rule 58 and 102 of
    the CPC
    and Section 64 of the CPC and also Section 52 of the Transfer of
    Property Act and that it had only centralized its mind to establish fraud and
    deception allegedly perpetrated by the judgment debtor and the decree holder
    and as such, the impugned order is not sustainable and therefore, it is
    contended to allow this petition by setting aside the impugned order.

    5. Having heard the submissions of learned counsel for both the parties, this
    Court has carefully gone through the petition as well as the documents placed
    on record and also the impugned order dated 25.06.2026, passed by the
    learned executing court.

    6. It is not in dispute that the order of attachment of the suit property was
    passed by the learned executing court in Money Execution Case No. 35/2019.
    But, it appears that the alleged sale deed in favour of the petitioner herein was
    executed by the power of attorney holder, namely Binod Singh.

    6.1. Accordingly, a question was put to Mr. Kalita, learned counsel for the
    petitioner, as to while the order of attachment passed by the learned executing
    court was operating, how the power of attorney holder can sell the suit property
    to the petitioner and whether the same is legally permissible?

    6.2. Then, Mr. Kalita submitted that the attachment order itself is an invalid
    Page No.# 4/9

    order.

    6.3. Again, Mr. Kalita was asked as to how the Non-Encumbrance Certificate,
    which is required for execution of a sale deed, was obtained, while the
    attachment order was in force?

    6.4. Mr. Kalita submitted that the court had issued the same and thereafter the
    sale deed was executed.

    6.5. Further, attention of Mr. Kalita was drawn to the observation made by the
    learned executing court in the impugned order that ‘As the entire contract
    and sale of the scheduled lands had been effected by playing
    fraud on the court, the sale deed of the petitioner and her
    contentions along with her alleged rights, covered by the
    mutation entries, payment of land revenue etc. cannot be
    sustained’ and he was asked to respond to the same.

    6.6. Mr. Kalita then submitted that the said observation is wrong.

    6.7. Attention of Mr. Kalita was also drawn to the observation made by the
    learned executing court in the impugned order that ‘As from the entire
    facts revealed from the records and upon hearing the learned
    counsel for the decree holder, it is apparent that the sale with
    the present petitioner was executed to defeat the legitimate
    claims of the decree holder and from the records itself the
    fraudulent actions of the judgment debtor gets reflected and no
    further proof is necessary to establish fraud that has been
    played at the instance of the Judgment debtor, in as much as,
    the vendor, i.e. the constituted attorney, was only the agent
    for the judgment debtor and did not have any independent rights
    Page No.# 5/9

    to sell the property as is disclosed from the sale deed itself
    that Binod Singh acted on behalf of the principal, i.e. the
    judgment debtor, namely Anup Kumar Singh, whose only intention
    was to defraud the decree holder and deny her the rightful
    entitlements, for which this court is of the considered opinion
    that the vendor, i.e. the constituted attorney had acted on
    behalf of the judgment debtor in respect to the scheduled
    properties in collusion with the judgment debtor to alienate the
    charged scheduled properties during attachment and executed the
    sale deed dated 15.11.2025, in furtherance of the fraudulent
    intention of the judgment debtor, for which this court does not
    find any merits in the petition submitted by the petitioner,
    consequently the same shall stand dismissed. Having said that,
    it is also held that the sale deed dated 15.11.2025, as detailed
    above also does not create any rights in favour of the
    petitioner’ and he was asked to respond to said observation.

    6.8. Mr. Kalita, then submitted that the aforesaid finding of the learned
    executing court is also wrong, as the attachment order itself is an illegal order.

    7. Thus, it is an admitted fact that the petitioner herein has been claiming
    her right, title and interest over the suit property on the basis of the sale deed,
    dated 15.11.2026. It is also an admitted fact that said sale deed was executed
    while the suit property was under attachment as per order of the learned
    executing court dated 02.06.2022. In that view of the matter, the sale deed,
    dated 15.11.2026, appears to be ex-facie illegal and in-operative. And that
    being so, it confers no legally enforceable right upon the petitioner to get the
    same enforced by filing the present petition.

    Page No.# 6/9

    7.1. It is to be noted here that in view of Section 64 of the CPC, any private
    transfer or sale of property by the judgment debtor (or on their behalf) after it
    has been attached in execution of a decree, is void against all claims
    enforceable under that attachment. It is to be noted here that Section 64 of the
    CPC provides that :-

    Where an attachment has been made, any private transfer or
    delivery of the property attached (or any interest therein),
    or any payment to the judgment debtor contrary to such
    attachment, shall be void as against all claims enforceable
    under the attachment.

    7.2. It is to be noted here that the attachment creates a charge in favor of the
    decree-holder. Therefore, a subsequent private sale, by the judgment debtor,
    does not convey valid title to the buyer that can override the decree-holder’s
    rights. The buyer takes the property subject to the attachment, and the sale can
    be ignored or set aside in execution proceedings. The effect of such sale is void
    against the decree-holder, as the transfer does not defeat the execution. The
    attached property remains available for sale by the court in execution
    proceedings. The decree-holder can proceed with the court auction/sale, as if
    the private transfer never happened.

    7.3. The executing court cannot allow to frustrate the decree, through such
    maneuvers. The executing court can disregard the sale and proceed to execute
    the decree. Post-attachment sales in execution are directly hit by Section 64. In
    holding so this court derived authority from a decision of Hon’ble Supreme Court
    in the case of Nancy John Lyndon vs. Prabhati Lal Chowdhury, reported
    in (1987) 4 SCC 78. In the said case it has been clarified that post-

    attachment dealings by the judgment debtor do not bind the decree-holder or
    automatically. In the case of Om Prakash Garg vs. Ganga Sahai and
    Page No.# 7/9

    Others, reported in (1987) 3 SCC 553, Hon’ble Supreme Court has held that
    the alleged lease under which the appellant claims the status of a tenant, was
    made in contravention of Section 64 of the CPC and thus voidable at the
    instance of the respondent.

    7.4. Thus, it becomes apparent that the learned executing court can proceed
    with sale of the property in execution and the petitioner herein, who is private
    buyer cannot successfully obstruct on the basis of their purchase, which is hit by
    Section 64 of the CPC.

    8. Since the petitioner has no locus to file the present petition, challenging
    the impugned order dated 25.06.2026, she cannot insist upon the adjudication
    of the application filed by her, on merit, by this Court.

    9. Further, from a perusal of the impugned order and the documents placed
    on record, this Court finds that the sale deed allegedly executed by the power of
    attorney holder on 15.11.2025, by playing fraud upon the court. Admittedly, the
    Non-Encumbrance Certificate, required for execution of sale deed, was issued by
    the Court while the attachment order was operating. And it is a deliberate
    attempt on the part of the petitioner and the judgment debtor and also the
    attorney holder to frustrate the judgment of execution which is being sought in
    the Money Execution Case No. 35/2019.

    10. It is well settled principle in Indian Jurisprudence that ‘fraud vitiates
    everything’ or ‘fraud unravels everything’. This principles means that fraud
    corrupts and renders null and void any judicial act, order, decree, judgment, or
    transaction obtained through it. Fraud is an extrinsic collateral act that vitiates
    even the most solemn proceedings, and no advantage can be taken from it. In
    several decisions Hon’ble Supreme Court has repeatedly held that a judgment or
    Page No.# 8/9

    order secured by fraud or suppression of material facts is a nullity in the eyes of
    the law and can be challenged at any stage.

    10.1. Notable amongst them is S.P. Chengalvaraya Naidu vs. Jagannath,
    reported in (1994) 1 SCC 1. In this case Hon’ble Supreme Court has held that
    a preliminary decree obtained by playing fraud on the court (by suppressing
    material documents) was a nullity. Further it has been observed that ‘fraud
    avoids all acts, ecclesiastical or temporal.’ Courts are meant for justice and no
    litigant can take advantage of their own fraud. A decree obtained by fraud is
    non-est (non-existent) in law.

    10.2. In the case of Ram Chandra Singh vs. Savitri Devi, reported in
    (2003) 8 SCC 319, Hon’ble Supreme Court has reiterating the principle:

    “Fraud as is well known vitiates every solemn act. Fraud and justice never dwell
    together.” Further it has been held that fraud vitiates all solemn acts. Even
    principles of natural justice need not be followed if an order
    was obtained by fraud. The Court emphasized that fraud is a conduct that
    induces another to part with something or to act to their prejudice.

    10.3. The aforesaid proposition is affirmed in the case of Vishnu Vardhan @
    Vishnu Pradhan vs. State of Uttar Pradesh, (Civil Appeal No.
    7777/2023). It has been held that “fraud unravels everything” and can even
    unravel Supreme Court judgments if justice demands it.

    11. Thus, having examined the impugned order in the light of the aforesaid
    proposition and law, this Court finds that the impugned order suffers from no
    irregularity and illegality requiring any interference of this Court.

    12. Since the petitioner has attempted to frustrate the decree passed by the
    learned trial court as well as the attachment order passed by the learned
    Page No.# 9/9

    executing court, by playing fraud, this Court is of the view that this kind of
    practice deserves to be deprecated and also to be discouraged and in order to
    discourage such mis-adventure, this court is inclined to imposed a cost of Rs.
    25,000/-, (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand) only, upon the petitioner, who also
    appears to be in hand in gloves with the judgment debtor and his constituted
    attorney, namely Binod Singh, the vendor. The aforesaid amount shall be
    deposited by the petitioner herein, before the District Legal Services Authority,
    Tinsukia, within a period of 2 (two) weeks from today.

    13. In terms of above, this petition stands dismissed.

    JUDGE

    Comparing Assistant



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