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High Court of Fiji |
In the High Court of Fiji
At Suva
Civil Jurisdiction
Civil Action No. HBC 330 of 2010
Phul Mati, as Attorney of Durga Prasad
Plaintiff
v
Jai Shree Lal
Arvin Lal
Suruj Lal, executors and trustees of Moti Lal
Suresh Chandra
Defendants
Counsel: Mr Sunil Kumar for the plaintiff
Mr A.K. Singh for the first and second defendants
Mr P. Katia for the third defendant
Mr V. Maharaj for the fourth defendant
Dates of hearing: 14th and15th March, 2022
Date of Judgment: 9th January,2023
Judgment
The plaintiff, in examination in chief said that Chandra Mati and Durga were the executors and trustees of the estate of Goverdhan. Durga became the sole executor and trustee after the death of Chandra Mati. Durga gave her POA. She was appointed executor and trustee of the estate of Goverdhan.
The defendants did not sign the subdivision her mother got done. CT 9854 was illegally subdivided by the first, second and third defendants and their lawyer, the fourth defendant. She was not consulted nor informed of their subdivision. Neither she nor her Attorney, (her brother) signed the Subdivision Plan DP 9741. Only the executors and trustees of Moti Lal signed. The 4th signature is that of the fourth defendant, Mr Suresh Chandra. He fraudulently signed in place of her, a registered proprietor. She did not authorize him to sign.
19 titles were extracted from the Subdivision Plan. The plaintiff said that all the titles issued must be cancelled.
In cross examination by Mr Singh, counsel for the first and second defendants, the plaintiff denied that the subdivision was done according to the Deed of 1969. The Deed provided that the parties would be given the particular portions where their houses are situated, but the subdivision done by the defendants took the land on the side of the road. The low line area near the Waimanu River was wrongfully given to the estate of Goverdhan. She denied that she was asked to go to Mr Suresh Chandra’s office and sign. She said Mr Chandra did not witness the second defendant’s signature. Certain subdivided properties have been sold to third parties. It was put to the plaintiff that she did not produce a written authority from Kampta and Sumeshwar Prasad, the other beneficiaries of the estate of Goverdhan, that they had authorized her to proceed with this action, as she contended.
Mr Maharaj, counsel for the fourth defendant put it the plaintiff that Mr Suresh Chandra witnessed the signatures of the registered proprietors and for that reason he placed his rubber stamp indicating that he is a Barrister and Solicitor and he did not sign as registered proprietor. She agreed that Mr Suresh Chandra’s rubber stamp was on the disputed Plan. The plaintiff was referred to titles no 39700 to 39718 issued from CT 9854 in respect of which she had placed caveats.
In re-examination, the plaintiff said that there is no provision in a Plan for a signature to be witnessed. Only registered proprietors sign. CTs were issued to siblings of Moti Lal.
PW2 said that Survey Plan DP 9741 originated from the Plan Examiner’s Office. The Plan Examiner made a requisition to remove Mr Suresh Chandra’s name. The Surveyor should have done so and re-submit the Plan for approval. A Plan is returned to the Surveyor, if a registered proprietor has not signed. Signatures are not required to be witnessed.
In cross examination by Mr Singh, the witness agreed that there was a column in the Plan above the words “registered proprietor”, which provides that the signature needs to be witnessed. He set out the process for the approval of a Plan commencing with the DTCP followed by the Director of Lands and ROT.
In cross-examination by Mr Maharaj, PW2 said that his office does not consider whether a Plan was witnessed. The Plan Examiner would have rejected the Plan if he was of the view that the signature of the witness ought not to be on the Plan. In this case, the Plan has been witnessed by Mr Suresh Chandra with his rubber stamp stating that he is Barrister and Solicitor.
In re-examination, he said that the signature of the witness was in the registered proprietor’s column. There was no witness column in the Plan.
In answer to Mr Kumar, counsel for the plaintiff, PW3 said that Mr Suresh Chandra signed the Plan on behalf of the registered proprietors. Neither the plaintiff nor the defendants signed as registered proprietors. The office of the ROT checks if the subdivision is for the correct title and if the registered proprietors are mentioned. The plaintiff’s name is not on the Subdivision Plan.
In cross examination by Mr Singh, PW3 said that a title issued can only be set aside on account of fraud. He agreed that anyone who witnesses a signature places their stamp as Mr Suresh Chandra did in the present case. He witnessed the signature of three registered proprietors.
This witness, in answer to Mr Maharaj, agreed that Mr Suresh Chandra does not state that he is the registered proprietor in the Plan. He put his stamp as Barrister and Solicitor and Commissioner of Oaths. Once a DP is registered by the ROT, an application can be made for issue of titles. The titles issued are indefeasible.
In re-examination, the witness said that the signatures of the registered proprietors have to be witnessed by a solicitor.
Mr Singh objected to the plaintiff calling this witness, as the plaintiff had indicated that he was an expert witness and adequate notice was not given to the defendants. Mr Kumar’s riposte was that he was not an expert witness.
PW4, in evidence in chief said he gave his opinion to the plaintiff that she should not have signed the Plan, as she was not the registered proprietor. Only a registered proprietor signs a Survey Plan or a person holding his POA. If a registered proprietors has not signed, the plan is not in order
In answer to Mr Singh, he said that the signatures of registered proprietors are usually witnessed by a Commissioner of Oaths.
In answer to Mr Maharaj, the witness said that the Surveyor is the only person who witnesses the signatures of registered proprietors on a Survey Plan. DP 9471 was registered and approved by the ROT and titles were issued.
In re-examination, PW 4 said that Edmund Chang witnessed the Plan and Mr Chandra’s signature appears in the registered proprietor’s column. Chang signed twice, as registered Surveyor and as witness to the signatures of the registered proprietors.
This witness said that Mr Suresh Chandra had signed on the registered proprietor’s column of the approved Subdivision Plan DP 9741. The anomaly was noted and sent as a requisition to the Surveyor. The registered proprietor should have signed on the Plan. Subdivision Plan DP 9741 was approved by the DTCP, Surveyor General and ROT. He produced the Glisspac Report, the calculation field notes of the Dept of Lands and Surveys and approvals given by the DTCP. A Plan can be amended if a registered proprietor advises the Surveyor General’s office. If titles are issued, the ROT can advise the Surveyor General and the Plan can be amended
Mr Singh referred to the comment on the calculation sheets to delete Mr Suresh Chandra’s name. After all the rectification was done, the Plan was approved.
In response to Mr Maharaj’ s question, the witness explained the hand written notes on the calculation sheets, which stated that there was insufficient space in the registered proprietors column and a comment to delete Mr Suresh Chandra’s name. Once the Director of Lands gives approval, the Plan is submitted to the ROT. It is assumed that the errors would have been rectified before the Plan was passed. All the processes had been fulfilled.
In re examination, PW5 said that the errors are yet to be rectified. He did not find the clearance from DTCP.
DW1 produced the 1969 Deed. He said that Chang, their Surveyor asked him to go to Mr Suresh Chandra’s office and sign the Subdivision Plan. Mr Suresh Chandra witnessed his signature on the Plan. There are 3 signatures on the Plan, the first defendant, the third defendant and himself. One land has been sold to his brother in law.
In cross examination, he denied that Chandra Wati and the plaintiff asked him to sign a subdivision. The defendants signed at the top where the words approvals is written, as there was inadequate space in the registered proprietors’ column. They were unaware that the entire share of Goverdhan was for the plaintiff. He approached Kampta Prasad and the plaintiff for their consent to the subdivision. Mr Kumar put it to the witness that the land where the houses were situated was not to be touched, but the remaining land was to be subdivided and the defendants took the better land leaving the boggy land at the rear for the plaintiff. His answer was none of the lands are boggy. Mr Kumar put it to the witness that only one half of the CT was surveyed and subdivided.
In re-examination, DW1 said that his sister transferred her property to Robert Jai Prakash. Robert Jai Prakash took a loan to pay the purchase price.
DW2 produced his affidavit. He said that he purchased CT 39072 from his wife Reshmi Lata. She received the land as a gift from her father’s estate.
The determination
Requisition Surveyor’s Reply & Signature
All registered proprietors name are to INSUFFICIENT SPACE IN
be shown on the appropriate column PROPRIETORS column
The following comments were hand written below:
show registered proprietors name and their Fathers name on both plans.
Delete Suresh Chandra’s name.
......
11/01/08
Errors still on the plan
1....
2 Show the correct Registered proprietor’s names on appropriate column...
..The above errors are yet to be rectified..
In Fiji under the Torrens system of land registration, the register is everything: Subaramani & Ano v Dharam Sheela & 3 Others [1982] 28 Fiji LR 82. Except in the case of fraud the title to land is that as registered with the Registrar of Titles under the Land Transfer Act [see sections 39, 40, 41, and 42]: Fels v Knowles [1906] NZGazLawRp 66; (1906) 26 NZLR 604; Assets Co Ltd v Mere Roihi [1905] UKLawRpAC 11; [1905] AC 176, PC.
In Frazer v Walker [1967] AC 569 at p.580 Lord Wilberforce delivering the judgment of the Board said:
"It is to be noticed that each of these sections excepts the case of fraud, section 62 employing the words "except in case of fraud." And section 63 using the words "as against the person registered as proprietor of that land through fraud." The uncertain ambit of these expressions has been limited by judicial decision to actual fraud by the registered proprietor or his agent: Assets Co Ltd v Mere Roihi.”
It is these sections which, together with those next referred to, confer upon the registered proprietor what has come to be called "indefeasibility of title." The expression, not used in the Act itself, is a convenient description of the immunity from attack by adverse claim to the land or interest in respect of which he is registered, which a registered proprietor enjoys. This conception is central in the system of registration.
Actual fraud or moral turpitude must therefore be shown on the part of the plaintiff as registered proprietor or of his agents Wicks v. Bennett [1921]30 CLR 80; Butler v Fairclough [1917] HCA 9; [1917] 23 CLR 78 at p.97.
..the Land Transfer Act, Cap. 131, is based on the "Torrens System" which is a system of land title where a Register of land holdings maintained by the State guarantees an indefeasible title to those included in the Register. .... Section 38 ..provides that-
"No instrument of title registered under the provisions of this Act shall be impeached or defeasible by reason or on account of any informality or in any application or document or in any proceedings previous to the registration of the instrument of title."
..the cardinal principle of the Land Transfer Act that the Register is absolute and conclusive except in case of actual fraud, which has to be brought home to the registered proprietor.
The judgment of the Court cited the decision of the Court of Appeal in New Zealand in Fels v. Knowles,[1906] NZGazLawRp 66; (1906) 26 NZLR 604 at pg 620 as follows:
..Everything which can be registered gives, in the absence of fraud, an indefeasible title to the estate or interest, or in the case which registration of a right is authorized, as in the case of easements or incorporated rights, to the right registered.
There is no statutory definition of fraud in the Real Property Act in NSW or Land Transfer Act in Fiji. Fraud, wrote Sir Rupert Cross, is “one of those irritating words that seems more technical than it really is”.[5..] ...Fraud has been judicially defined as actual dishonesty, which can be attached to the registered proprietor’s title. ...
Equitable fraud is constructive fraud when the registered proprietor should have realised that the transaction was fraudulent. Bahr v Nicolay (No 2) [1988] HCA 16; [1988] 164 CLR 604, Mason CJ and Dawson J suggested that not all species of equitable fraud were outside the concept of fraud under the Real Property Act. This approach was endorsed .. by the Court of Appeal in NSW in Grgic v ANZ Banking Group Ltd (1994) 33 NSWLR 202 where, at 221, Powell JA said:
‘Those species of ‘equitable fraud’ which are regarded as falling within the concept of ‘fraud’ for the purposes of s. 42 of the Act are those ... in which there has been an element of dishonesty or moral turpitude on the part of the registered proprietor of the subject interest or on the part of his or its agent.”
Generally fraud must occur in the lead up to registration and must be shown to have been practiced against the person who seeks relief. Mason CJ and Dawson J in Bahr v Nicolay (No 2) (supra) have suggested that post-registration conduct by the registered proprietor may be considered on the issue of whether there is fraud by the registered proprietor. This approach has been endorsed by Wood J in Snowlong Pty Ltd v Choe [1991] 23 NSWLR 198 at 212.(footnotes omitted)
A.L.B. Brito-Mutunayagam
JUDGE
9th January, 2023
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