Kallepalli Pallayya (Died) By Legal Representative Middirala Ramanamma vs Karri Bhimaraju and Another

Jackson, J.—Appeal from the order of the Subordinate Judge of Coconada in Appeal No. 17(a) of 1924 in C.M.P. No. 1390 of 1921 of

the Court of the District Munsif of Ramachandarpur.

Petitioner applied to set aside the sale of property sold under the decree in O.S. No. 554 of 1912 of the Coconada District Munsif''s Court. So

far as his share is concerned, the two Courts allowed the application. Counter-petitioner appeals.

The petitioner had been exonerated from the decree, but nevertheless his property was sold and there must admittedly be restitution unless his

application can be shown to be time-barred. The sale was in 1.915 and the application in 1921. There qan be no doubt in the light of Rajagopala

Aiyar by guardian Ramachandra Aiyar Vs. Ramanujachariar and Another, that Article 181 of the Limitation Act applies and petitioner will be time-

barred unless he had pleaded and established facts which save him from the bar. I agree with the appellant that he cannot set up a neAV case in

appeal but the point for determination isywhether that was actually done, and whether a case u/s 18 of the Indian Limitation Act has been

established. In the 5th para, of his petition the petitioner sets forth that in spite of the compromise which exonerated him from the decree, the

counter-petitioner fraudulently proceeded against the entire property without serving notice on the petitioner. As notice was thus fraudulently

suppressed the petitioner only came to know of the sale in August 1921. This contains all that is necessary to attract the provisions of Section 18

Indian Limitation Act to petitioner''s case, and I cannot held it to be a fatal flaw that he has not specifically referred to this section. The counter-

petitioner then contends that even supposing there was fraudulent suppression of notice at the time of the sale, no subsequent fraud is alleged and

the petitioner was not fraudulently kept out of knowledge of the sale. This point was taken in the lower Appellate Court and I agree with the

learned Subordinate Judge that there was a continuing fraud up to the date of petitioner''s knowledge. The case cited by appellant Pasumarti

Payidanna v. Ganti Lakshminarasamma 20 Ind. Cas. 314 : 33 M.K 1076 : 28 M.L.J. 525 hardly helps him. There at the time of the sale, a minor

was treated as major, a circumstance which did not exactly keep the minor from knowledge of the sale.

Accordingly I see no reason to differ from the finding of the lower Courts, but the appellant asks that the order may apply to the share of the

second defendant only, that of first defendant having been validly sold. There seems to be no objection to this modification and I order accordingly.

Costs to second defendant.