Sri Ajjegowda vs Smt Lakshmamma

Citation : 2025 Latest Caselaw 9731 Kant
Judgement Date : 3 November, 2025

Karnataka High Court

Sri Ajjegowda vs Smt Lakshmamma on 3 November, 2025

Author: H.P.Sandesh
Bench: H.P.Sandesh
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                                                           NC: 2025:KHC:44045
                                                          RSA No. 841 of 2024


                   HC-KAR




                        IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
                          DATED THIS THE 3RD DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025
                                           BEFORE
                            THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.P.SANDESH
                        REGULAR SECOND APPEAL NO. 841 OF 2024 (RES)
                   BETWEEN:

                   1.    SRI. AJJEGOWDA
                         S/O SRI. DEVARAJEGOWDA
                         AGED ABOUT 80 YEARS
                         R/O HANUMANAHALLI VILLAGE
                         HALEKOTE HOBLI, HOLENARASIPURA TALUK
                         HASSAN DISTRICT - 573 211.

                                                                 ...APPELLANT
                   (BY SRI. MANJUNATH H, ADVOCATE)
                   AND:

                   1.    SMT. LAKSHMAMMA
                         W/O. SRI. SUNDRESH
                         AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS
Digitally signed
by DEVIKA M              RESIDENT OF
Location: HIGH           HANUMANAHALLI VILLAGE
COURT OF
KARNATAKA                HALEKOTE TALUK
                         RESIDING AT:
                         DEVAMMA EXTENSION
                         CHANNAPATTANA VILLAGE, HASSAN DISTRICT

                   2.    SMT. YOGAMMA
                         W/O. SRI. VENKATASHETTY
                         AGED ABOUT 71 YEARS
                         RESIDENT OF
                         MUKUNDUR, MALLENAHALLY VILLAGE
                         KARLE POST, KATTAYA HOBLI
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                                       NC: 2025:KHC:44045
                                   RSA No. 841 of 2024


HC-KAR




     HASSAN DISTRICT

3.   SMT. KALPANA
     W/O. SRI. ESHWARA
     AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS
     RESIDENT OF
     KABBINAHALLY VILLAGE
     HALEKOTE HOBLI, HOLENARASIPURA TALUK
     HASAN DISTRICT

4.   SRI. GOPALA SHETTY
     S/O. SRI KRISHNA SHETTY
     MAJOR

5.   SMT. LATHA
     W/O. SRI. GOPALA SHETTY
     MAJOR

     RESPONDENT NO. 4 & 5
     ARE RESIDING AT:
     MUKUNDURU, MALLENAHALLY VILLAGE
     KARLE POST, KATTAYA HOBLI
     HASSAN DISTRICT

                                          ...RESPONDENTS
     THIS RSA IS FILED UNDER SECTION 100 OF CPC,
AGAINST THE JUDGMENT AND DECREE OF O.S NO.347/2013
DISPOSED OFF ON 15/03/2022 BY THE COURT OF III
ADDITIONAL CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC AT HASSAN, AND
JUDGMENT IN R.A NO.70/2022 ON FILE OF THE COURT OF
ADDITIONAL SENIOR CIVIL JUDGE, AT HASSAN DISPOSED OF
16/02/2024 AND ETC.,

    THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY,
JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.P.SANDESH
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                                                           NC: 2025:KHC:44045
                                                          RSA No. 841 of 2024


 HC-KAR




                         ORAL JUDGMENT

This matter is listed for admission. Heard learned counsel appearing for the appellant.

2. This second appeal is filed against the concurrent findings of the trial Court and the first Appellate Court passed in O.S.No.347/2013 and R.A.No.70/2022. This second appeal is filed by the defendant No.1 questioning the said concurrent findings.

3. The factual matrix of the case of the plaintiff before the trial Court is that there was a mortgage deed of the year 2001 executed in favour of defendant No.1, wherein the defendant Nos.2 to 4 have received an amount of Rs.20,000/- and the mortgage is a usufructuary mortgage and possession was delivered and also the period of mortgage is upto 2006 and subsequent to the expiry of period of 2006, notice was issued. But, the defendant No.1 did not come forward to redeem the mortgage and hence, the plaintiff filed the suit seeking for the relief of redemption of mortgage and document of mortgage is also produced before -4- NC: 2025:KHC:44045 RSA No. 841 of 2024 HC-KAR the Trial Court as per Ex.P12 dated 11.06.2001 and also a legal notice was also marked and also earlier documents of sale agreement as per Ex.P2, sale deed as per Ex.P3 dated 03.07.2001 and the suit filed in 2001 i.e., O.S. No.274/2001 were also marked.

3(i) In support of the claim of the plaintiff, the plaintiff examined her husband as P.W.1 and also got examined one witness as P.W.2 and got marked 29 documents as Exhibits P1 to P29. On the other hand, defendants also examined three witnesses as DWs.1 to 3 and got marked 5 documents as per Exhibits D1 to D5 and placed on record the earlier suit filed in O.S.No.274/2001 for seeking the relief of permanent injunction.

3(ii) Having considered both oral and documentary evidence, the trial Court taken note of there is a registered mortgage deed in terms of Ex.P12 and the same is for a period of 5 years and on repayment of mortgage amount, defendant No.1 has to redeem the same and the trial Court having considered the material available on record, particularly recitals of document as per Ex.P12, comes to the conclusion that the -5- NC: 2025:KHC:44045 RSA No. 841 of 2024 HC-KAR period already expired and subsequently, notice was exchanged between the parties and in spite of it, possession was not delivered and also not executed any redemption of document and therefore, the trial Court granted the relief of redemption of mortgage directing the defendant No.1 to receive the amount of Rs.20,000/- and redeem the suit schedule property within 60 days and the same was challenged before the Appellate Court.

3(iii) The Appellate Court also on re-appreciation of both oral and documentary evidence available on record in R.A. No.70/2022, answered the point Nos.1 and 2 as 'affirmative', coming to the conclusion that there was a sale deed in terms of Ex.P3 dated 03.07.2001 executed by defendant Nos.2 and 3 in favour of the plaintiff and also taken note that the trial Court having considered the material on record, directed the defendant No.1 to deliver the possession to the plaintiff by redeeming the mortgage and receive an amount of Rs.20,000/- and the Appellate Court held that it does not require any interference of the Court and confirmed the judgment of the trial Court. Being aggrieved by the judgments of the trial Court -6- NC: 2025:KHC:44045 RSA No. 841 of 2024 HC-KAR and the Appellate Court, as against the concurrent findings, the present second appeal is filed before this Court seeking to set aside the judgments passed by the trial Court and the Appellate Court.

4. The main contention urged before this Court by the learned counsel appearing for the appellant is that the first Appellate Court fails to take note of the fact that the plaintiff has claimed in the suit that she is in physical possession and though she sought for the relief of redemption of mortgage and delivery of possession, but her pleading is contrary and in one breath says that she is in possession and also sought for the relief of possession. Learned counsel would vehemently contend that both trial Court and Appellate Court erred in not considering the admission made by P.W.1 in regard to non- passing of sale consideration between the vendor and the purchaser and the suit is filed with the ulterior intention to get back the possession from the defendant No.1. Learned counsel would vehemently contend that both Courts committed an error in considering the defective pleadings and erroneously granted -7- NC: 2025:KHC:44045 RSA No. 841 of 2024 HC-KAR the relief of possession in favour of the plaintiff and hence, it requires interference of this court.

5. Having considered the reasoning given by the trial Court as well as the Appellate Court and also the grounds urged before this Court, the appellant has not disputed the fact that there was a mortgage deed in terms of Ex.P12 and it is also not in dispute the fact that the same is for a period of 5 years and also not in dispute that the period of mortgage had also ended up in 2006. But, the only contention of the appellant is that there was no sale consideration was passed between the vendor and the purchaser and the same cannot be a ground in a suit for redemption of mortgage when the document of Ex.P12 is in existence between the defendant No.1 and defendant Nos.2 to 4, that it is a case of mortgage and the fact that an amount of Rs.20,000/- was paid by the defendant No.1 in favour of the defendant Nos.2 to 4 at the time of entering into the mortgage and there is a clear recital about the refund of the amount of Rs.20,000/- after the expiry of the period of mortgage i.e., five years, he has to execute the document of redemption of mortgage. But, he has not done the same and -8- NC: 2025:KHC:44045 RSA No. 841 of 2024 HC-KAR hence, the plaintiff has sought for the relief of redemption of mortgage as well as possession.

6. No doubt, it is pleaded in the plaint that the plaintiff is in possession, but, the Court has to take note of documentary evidence as per Ex.P12, wherein the possession was delivered and the same is also a usufructuary mortgage and the same is for usage of the property for the amount what the defendant No.1 had paid and when such being the case, the Court has to take note of the fact that the documentary evidence prevails over the oral evidence. Even though there is a pleading, but the fact is that the plaintiff has sought for the relief of possession, which is not in dispute. Learned counsel appearing for the appellant relies upon the judgment of the Hon'ble Apex Court reported in MANU/SC/8199/2008, Bachhaj Nahar v. Nilima Mandal and Others and brought to the notice of this Court that the pleadings must be consistent with the oral evidence and brought to the notice of this Court paragraph No.12, wherein discussion was made with regard to where the pleadings in substance, though not in specific terms, contains the necessary averments to make out a particular case -9- NC: 2025:KHC:44045 RSA No. 841 of 2024 HC-KAR and the issues framed also generally cover the question involved and the parties proceed on the basis that such case was at issue and had led evidence thereon.

7. No doubt, the Hon'ble Apex Court having considered the principles, the Hon'ble Apex Court discussed with regard to the pleadings and the evidence must be in corollary to the pleadings and in the case on hand, I have already pointed out that though it is pleaded that she is in possession, but the documentary evidence as per Ex.P12 clearly discloses that the possession was delivered and the mortgage is also a usufructuary mortgage and when recital of the document is very clear, the documentary evidence prevails over the oral evidence and also relief is sought for possession and mistakenly, it appears that it is pleaded that she is in possession. But, the documentary evidence of Ex.P12 is clear that possession was delivered at the time of executing the document of mortgage deed and when such being the case, I do not find any error on the part of the trial Court and Appellate Court in granting the relief of redemption, the judgment which is relied upon by the learned counsel for the

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NC: 2025:KHC:44045 RSA No. 841 of 2024 HC-KAR appellant will not come to the aid of the appellant and the Court has to take note of the material on record and the reasoning and while entertaining the second appeal, if there is any perversity in the finding of the trial Court and Appellate Court, then, the Court can admit and frame the substantive question of law.

8. In the case on hand, when the document of Ex.P12 is very clear that possession was delivered at the time of executing the document of mortgage deed and when there is a condition to re-deliver the possession having received the mortgage amount and redeem the same and in terms of the document of Ex.P12 only relief is granted and under the circumstances, I do not find any substantive question of law to invoke Section 100 of the Code of Civil Procedure and also records reveal that the mortgage deed was executed in the year 2001 and the same was expired in 2006, but, now we are in 2025. Almost the appellant had enjoyed with the property for a period of 25 years, though it was only for a period of 5 years the mortgage was executed. Hence, I do not find any ground to admit and frame the substantive question of law.

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NC: 2025:KHC:44045 RSA No. 841 of 2024 HC-KAR

9. In view of the discussions made above, the Regular Second Appeal is dismissed.

In view of the dismissal of the Regular Second Appeal, pending I.A., does not survive for consideration and the same is disposed of.

Sd/-

(H.P.SANDESH) JUDGE Bss List No.: 1 Sl No.: 50