Holding

Section 41 of the Evidence Act applies only after a final probate judgment, and pendency of probate does not stay criminal proceedings; the criminal case retains primacy.

Summary

The appellants sought registration and mutation of a will dated 3 May 1998, which was contested by the testatrix's heir in both civil and criminal proceedings alleging forgery. While the criminal case (IPC 420, 468, 444, 34) was instituted before the probate suit under the Indian Succession Act, the appellants applied for a stay of the criminal trial under CrPC s.309, arguing that a probate judgment (a judgment in rem under Evidence Act s.41) should be conclusive. The lower courts dismissed the stay application and the appeal. The Supreme Court held that Evidence Act s.41 becomes operative only after a final judgment is rendered; mere pendency of probate does not automatically stay criminal proceedings. Consistent with precedent, criminal cases are given primacy over civil suits, and the discretion to stay was not exercised. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed.

Issues considered

The pendency of a probate proceeding under the Indian Succession Act can stay a criminal trial alleging forgery of the same will.
Whether Section 41 of the Indian Evidence Act applies before a final probate judgment is rendered.
Whether criminal proceedings have primacy over concurrent civil probate proceedings.

Legislation cited

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973s. 309
Constitution of Indias. 136
Indian Evidence Act, 1872s. 41, s. 43, s. 68
Indian Penal Code, 1860s. 34, s. 420, s. 444, s. 468
Indian Succession Act, 1925s. 276, s. 63(c)

Subjects

Will forgeryProbate proceedingsCriminal vs civil jurisdictionSection 41 Evidence ActSection 309 CrPCPrimacy of criminal caseIndian Succession ActStay of criminal proceedings

Judgment

[2009] 3 S.C.R. 1017

< ,..._ SYED ASKARI HADI ALI AUGUSTINE IMAM & ANR. A
v.
STATE (DELHI ADMN.) & ANR.
(Criminal Appeal No. 416 of 2009)
MARCH 3, 2009
8
[S.B. SINHA, LOKESHWAR SINGH PANTA AND B.
SUDERSHAN REDDY, JJJ
'J

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973:
c
s. 309 - Prayer for stay of criminal proceedings pending
probate case - Criminal case alleging the Will to be forged
- HELD: Primacy has to be given to criminal case over civil.
case - Orders of courts below declining to stay criminal
.... proceedings need no interference, in view of the fact that D
criminal case was instituted much prior to initiation of probate
proceedings and because of the conduct of the appellant and
the stage in which the probate proceedings are pending -
Practice and Procedure - Evidence Act, 1872 - s.41 -
Constitution of India, 1950 - Article 136.
E
Evidence Act, 1872:

s. 41 - Pendency of probate case - Its effect on criminal
case alleging the will to be· forged - Held: Pendency of two
proceedings, whether civil o' criminal, by itself would not F
attract the provisions of s. 41 - A judgment has to be
pronounced - The genuineness of the will must be gone into
- s. 41 would become applicable only when a final judgment
is rendered - On facts, courts below rightly declined to stay
criminal proceedings - Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - G
s.309.
-1
"' The appellant filed an application before the Sub-
Registrar, Hazaribagh, Jharkhand for registration of a will

1017 H
1018 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009] 3 S.C.R.

A dated 3.5.1998 stated to have been executed by one Mst. .
'SA', and applied before the Delhi Development Authority
~
for grant of mutation in respect of a property in Delhi on
the basis of the alleged will. Mst. 'SM', the daughter of
Mst. 'SA' also made an application to the ODA for grant
B of mutation in respect of the Delhi property in her favour.
Mst. 'SM' filed a civil suit in Patna questioning the
genuineness of the will dated 3.5.1998,and also filed a
criminal complaint u/ss 420/468/444/34 IPC in Delhi
against the appellant alleging the will dated 3.5.1998 as
c a forged one. The appellant filed an application for grant
of probate in respect of the will dated 3.5.1998 before the
Jharkhand High Court u/s 276 of the Indian Succession
Act, 1925. The appellant first filed a writ petition before the
belhi High Court seeking to quash the criminal
proceedings and on its dismissal filed an application u/s
D
309 Cr.P.C. before the Metropolitan Magistrate seeking
stay of the proceedings in the criminal case. The said
application was dismissed. Appellant's revision petition
also having been dismissed by the High Court, he filed
the instant appeal. Meanwhile Mst. 'SM' died after having
E executed a will in favour of respondent no.2, and the Delhi
property was mutated in his name. He was impleaded as
respondent no.2 in the appeal.

It was contended for the appellant that a judgment
F in probate proceedings being a judgment in rem as
envisaged u/s 41 of the Evidence Act, the criminal
proceedings should have been directed to be stayed.

Dismissing the appeal, the Court
G HELD: 1.1. Section 41 of the Evidence Act, 1872
would become applicable only when a final judgment is t
rendered. Rendition of a final judgment which would be ..,,
binding on the whole world being conclusive in nature
would take a long time. As and when a judgment is
H rendered in one proceeding subject to the admissibility
SYED ASKARI HADI ALI AUGUSTINE IMAM & ANR. v. 1019
STATE (DELHI ADMN.) & ANR.

thereof keeping in view s.43 of the Evidence Act may be A
produced in another proceeding. It is beyond any cavil
that a judgment rendered by a probate court is a
judgment in rem. It is binding on all courts and authorities.
Being a judgment in rem it will have effect over other
judgments. A judgment in rem indisputably is conclusive 8
in a criminal as well as in a civil proceeding. [Para 12)
[1034-D-G]
•,,
Surinder Kumar & Ors. vs. Gian Chand & Ors. AIR 1957
SC 875; Sardool Singh & Anr. vs. Smt. Nasib Kaur 1987
(Supp.) SCC 146; Mt. Daropti vs. Mt. Santi 1929 Lahore 483 C
and Darbara Singh vs. Karminder Singh & Ors. AIR 1979
Punjab & Haryana 215 - referred to.

Commissioner of Income Tax, Mumbai vs. Bhupen
' ~ Champak Lal Dalal & Anr. (2001) 3 SCC 459, cited. D

1.2. Pendency of two proceedings whether civil or
criminal, however, by itself would not attract the
provisions of s.41 of the Evidence Act. A judgment has
to be pronounced. The genuineness of the Will must be
gone into. Law envisages not only genuineness of the E
Will but also explanation to all the suspicious
circumstances surrounding thereto besides proof thereof
in terms of s.63(c) of the Indian Succession Act, and s.68
of the Evidence Act. [Para 13) [1038-C-D]
F
Lalitaben Jayantilal Popat vs. Pragnaben Jamnadas
Kataria & ors. 2009 (1) SCALE 328, relied on.

1.3. As noticed in several decisions of this Court,
including two Constitution Bench decisions*, primacy G
has to be given to a criminal case over a civil case. If
~
t- primacy is to be given to a criminal proceeding,
indisputably, the civil suit must be determined on its own
merit, keeping in view the evidences brought in it and not
in terms of the evidence brought in the criminal H
1020 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2009] 3 S.C.R.

A proceedings. In the instant case, the FIR was lodged not
only in regard to forgery by the Will but also on the cause
of action of a trespass. Not only another civil suit is
pending, but a lis in relation to mutation is also pending.
[Para 10, 14 and 15] [1029-G; 1038-E; 1039-A]
B *M.S. Sheriff & anr. vs. State of Madras & Ors. AIR 1954
SC 397 and Iqbal Singh Marwah & Anr. vs. Meenakshi
Marwah & Anr. (2005) 4 SCC 370, relied on.

K.G. Premshanker vs. Inspector of Police and Anr.
C (2002) 8 SCC 87 Mis Karam Chand Ganga Prasad & anr.
etc. vs. Union of India & Ors. (1970) 3 SCC 694 and P.
Swaroopa Rani vs. M. Hari Narayana @ Hari Babu AIR 2008
SC 1884, referred to.

1.4. Whereas the criminal case is pending before the
0
Delhi court, the testamentary suit has been filed before
the Jharkhand High Court. Since 2003 not much progress
has been made therein. The Will has not been sent to the
handwriting expert for his opinion, which is essential for
determination of the question in regard to its
E genuineness. It is alleged that the Will was registered at
Hazaribagh after the death of the testatrix. For the last
seven years in view of the pendency of the matters
before the High Courts in different proceedings initiated
by the appellant, the criminal case has not proceeded,
F although charge-sheet has been filed and cognizance of
the offence has been taken. Exercise of such a
jurisdiction furthermore is discretionary. [Para 15] [1039-
A-C]

G 1.5. In the facts and circumstance of the case, orders
of the Metropolitan Magistrate and the High Court need
not be interfered with. Firstly, because the criminal case
was instituted much prior to the initiation of the probate
proceeding and, secondly, because of the conduct of the
H appellant and the stage in which the probate proceedings
SYED ASKARI HADI ALI AUGUSTINE IMAM & ANR. v. 1021
STATE (DELHI ADMN.) & ANR.

~ are pending. Therefore, it is not a fit case where the Court A
should exercise discretionary jurisdiction under Article
~.

136 of the Constitution of India. [Para 15] [1039-D]

Case Law Reference:

AIR 1954 SC 397 relied on para 10 B

(2002) 8 sec 87 referred to para 10
.;
(1970) 3 sec 694 referred to para 10

(2005) 4 sec 370 relied on para 11 c
AIR 2008 SC 1884 referred to para 11

1987 (Supp.) sec 146 referred to para 12

(2001) 3 sec 459 cited para 12
D
AJR 1957 SC 875 referred to para 12

1929 Lahore 483 referred to para 13

AIR 1979 Punjab & Haryana 215 referred topara 13
E
2009 (1) SCALE 328 relied on para 13

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Criminal Appeal
~ No. 416 of 2009 .
•
From the Judgment and Order dated 23.07.2008 of the
F
High Court of Delhi in Criminal Revision No. 184 of 2005.

Dinesh Dwivedi, S.K. Sinha, Manish Shanker and Prateek
Dwivedi for the Appellant.

A. Sharan, AGG, A.M. Singhvi, S.C. Maheshwari, Neera G
Gupta, Sadhna Sandhu, Anil Katiyar, Sandhya Goswami, H.C.
..t Kharbanda and M.P.S. Tomar for the Respondent.

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

H
1022 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2009] 3 S.C.R.

A S.B. SINHA, J. 1. Leave granted.

2. Effect of pendency of a probate proceeding vis-a-vis a
criminal case involving allegations of forgery of a Will is the
question involved in this appeal. It arises out of a judgment and
order dated 23.7.2005 passed by a learned single judge of the
8
Delhi High Court in Criminal Revision No. 184 of 2005.

3. Before embarking on the said legal question, we may
notice the factual matrix involved herein.

c One Shamim Amna Imam (testatrix) indisputably was the
owner of the properties in question. Allegedly, she executed a
Will in favour of the appellants on 3.5.1998. She expired on
23.5.1998.

Her legal heir was one Smt. Syeda Mehndi Imam ('Syeda'
0 for short), the mother of the testatrix.

On or about 23.1.1999, Syed Askari Hadi Ali Augustine
lrmam ('Askari' for short) filed an application before the office
of the Sub-Registrar Hazaribagh in the State of Jharkhand for
E registration of the said Will dated 3.5.1998. He also applied
before the Delhi Development Authority (ODA) for grant of
mutation in respect of the property situated at A-4, Chirag Co-
operative Housing Society Limited known as Chirag Enclave,
New Delhi on or about 25.2.1999 in view of the Will dated
F 3.~.1998. Indisputably, Syed a also made an application to the
Dl'.>A on 23.4.1999 for grant of mutation in her favour.

On or about 17. 7.2000, the said Authority informed
-
'Askari' that his request for mutation could not be acceded to
as (1) the appellant could not produce the original copy of the
G Will dated 3.5.1998; (2) the property in question was under the
possession of Shri M.C. Reddy and Shri M.H. Reddy, and (3)
Title Suit (T.S. No. 262 of 1991) filed by testatrix against the
..
•

appellant was pending in the civil court in Hazaribagh.

H
SYED ASKARI HADI ALI AUGUSTINE IMAM & ANR. v. 1023
... STATE (DELHI ADMN.) & ANR. [S.B. SINHA, J.]

Thereafter, appellant approached Permanent Lok Adalat A
(PLA) of the ODA, which by an award dated 20.2.2001 directed
DOA to grant mutation in his favour.

Syeda filed a writ petition marked as Writ Petition (C) No.
2263 of 2002 before the Delhi High Court for quashing of the
B
said order dated 20.2.2001 of the PLA in pursuance whereof
'! further proceedings before the PLA was directed to be stayed
by an order 3.5.2002. Aggrieved thereby, Askari filed Writ
Petition (C) No. 3579 of 2002, which has been dismissed by
a' learned single judge of the same High Court by an order
dated 8.4.2003. Writ Petition (C) No. 2263 of 2002 filed by c
Syeda has been allowed by an order dated 29.9.2003, holding:

"I am thus of the considered view that the impugned
. direction dated 20.2.2001 could not have been passed by
1 the Permanent Lok Adalat and the same is hereby D
quashed. Further, no purpose would be served in
continuation of the proceedings before a Permanent Lok
Adalat in view of the disputes not being capable of
reconciliation till such time as the right of Respondent No.2
to the property in question in pursuance to the bequeath E
made under the will in dispute is finally adjudicated upon.
It has already been held by this Court in Smt. Janak Vohra
v. ODA 103 (2003) DLT 789 that in case of such disputed
questions of title, and mutation being asked for, it is
appropriate that the disputes of title be adjudicated in
F
appropriate civil procedure and no direction be issued to
mutate the property in the name of a party."

An appeal preferred thereagainst before the Division
Bench of High Co11rt was dismissed. A Special Leave Petition
~ filed thereagainst tias also been dismissed by this Court. G
"'
Indisputably Syeda filed a civil suit in the court of
Subordinate Judge, Patna, which was marked as Civil Suit No.
71 of 2000, inter alia, questioning the genuineness of the said
will based on which the appellants had claimed mutation in H
.
1024 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009] 3 S.C.R.

A respect of the property at Delhi.
Syeda also filed a criminal complaint on or about
19.9.2002 against the appellants under Sections 420/468/444/
34 IPC in Greater Kailash-1, New Delhi, Police Station alleging
that the Will dated 3.5.1998 had been forged by the appellants.
B
The matter was investigated into and the disputed Will was
sent for examination by the experts to the Forensic Science
Laboratory and the same was found to be forged, stating:

c "All the documents were carefully and thoroughly examined
with scientific instruments such as Stereo Microscope,
Video Spectral Comparator-IV, Docucenter, VSC-2000/
HR and Poliview System etc. under different lighting
conditions and I am of the opinion that:
D The persons who wrote red enclosed signatures
stamped and marked A 1 to A4 did not write the red
enclosed signatures similarly stamped and marked Q1 and
Q2, for the following reasons:

E All the admitted signatures marked A1 to A4 are freely
written, show natural variations and normal consistency
among themselves which are observed in the genuine
signatures of an individual executed over a period of time •
under varying circumstances. The questioned signatures
F marked Q1 & Q2 on the other hand are slow and drawn
in their execution exhibit pen-lift at unusual places, stubbed
finish and both the signatures marked Q1 and Q2 are
superimposed over each other. In addition to these
divergences are also observed between the questioned
and standard signatures in the detailed execution of
G
various characters such as - nature of commencement and •,,
movement between two body parts of 'S', isolated nature
and location of 'h', movement in the lower body part of 'h',
movement in the shoulders of 'm' and manner of combining
'm' with 'i' and 'i' with the terminal character 'm', nature and
H
SYED ASKARI HADI ALI AUGUSTINE IMAM & ANR. v. 1025
-..... STATE (DELHI ADMN.) & ANR. [S.B. SINHA, J.]
~
direction of the finish of terminal part of 'm' in the word A
'Shamim' as observed in 01 & 02 is nowhere observed
in standards, leftward location of 'I-dot' as observed in 01
& 02 is also found different in standards; manner of
execution of 'A', nature of the apex of 'A', nature of
commencement, shape and direction of the commencing 8
part of 'm' as observed in 01, 02 is also nowhere
"l observed in standards; manner of combining 'm' with 'n'
and omission of character 'e' as observed in 01, 02 is
also nowhere observed in standards, nature and shape of
the shoulder of 'n', movement in their shoulders; nature and c
shape of the oval of 'a', nature and direction in the terminal
part of 'a' as observed in questioned signatures is also
nowhere observed in standard signatures; habit of writing
... word 'Imam' in questioned signatures is also nowhere
observed in standards.
-+ D
The aforesaid divergences are fundamental in nature
and beyond the range of natural variations and intended
disguise and when considered collectively they lead me
to the above said opinion."
E
Cognizance of offences had been taken in the year 2002.

Appellants were granted anticipatory bail by the learned
•
Additional Sessions Judge, New Delhi by an order dated
16. 11.2002.
F
On or about 30.1.2003, appellants filed an application for
grant of probate being Testamentary Case No. 1 of 2003 in
respect of the Will dated 3.5. 1998 before the Jharkhand High
Court under Section 276 of the Indian Succession Act. We may,
however, notice that in the aforementioned Testamentary Suit, G
...
1
Syeda was not originally impleaded as a party. The court,
however, suo motu directed issuance of notice. She was
impleaded as a party only on 20.9.2001.

Indisputably, Syeda on or about 9.9.1999 executed a Will
H
1026 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009) 3 S.C.R.

A bequeathing her right, title and interest in the property in favour
of Mr. Faiz Murtaza Ali ("Faiz" for short). She died on 22.2.2004.
After her death Faiz claimed himself to be her legal heir on the
strength of the said registered will dated 9.9.1999.

Indisputably, appellants preferred Writ Petition (Criminal)
8
No. 636 of 2004 before the Delhi High Court for quashing of
the FIR dated 19.9.2002, which by reason of an order dated
29.7.2004 has been disposed of, stating:

"The petitioners, however, will be at liberty to move the trial
C court by way of moving an application for stay of the
criminal trial pending adjudication of the question of
genuineness of the Will by the Civil Court .... "

Relying on or on the basis thereof, the appellants filed an
0 application under Section 309 of the Code of Criminal •
Procedure, 1973 before the learned Metropolitan Magistrate
seeking stay of proceedings of the criminal case, which has
been dismissed by an order dated 10.2.2005, stating:

"The perusal of the case shows that the accused have
E been charge sheeted for the offences under Section 420/
468/448/34 IPC and during the investigation the
documents including the alleged Will was seized by the 10
and the same was sent to CFSL for expert opinion and it •
has been opined that the alleged Will was a forged one
F and on the basis of the said opinion the Hon'ble High Court
had already opined in the order dated 29.7.2004 that there
were no good grounds for quashment of the FIR and the
proceedings arising out of the same, and the petition for
quashing of the FIR was dismissed and the petitioners
G were given liberty by the Hon'ble High Court to move the
trial court by way of a proper applications for stay of
criminal trial pending adjudication of the question of the
genuineness of the Will by the Civil Court. In the said order,
only liberty has been granted to the applicants and the trial
H court has been directed only to dispose of the present
SYED ASKARI HADI ALI AUGUSTINE IMAM & ANR. v. 1027
STATE (DELHI ADMN:) & ANR. [S.B. SINHA, J.]

application in accordance with law." A

Aggrieved thereby and dissatisfied therewith, appellants
preferred Criminal Revision No. 184 of 2005 before the Delhi
High Court, which has been dismissed by reason of the
impugned judgment. B

4. Indisputably, Faiz, the nephew of the testratrix filed
Caveat Petition No. 61 of 2005 in Testamentary Case No.1 of
2003 before the Jharkhand High Court, which was dismissed
by a learned single judge by an order dated 4.1.2008
whereagainst LP.A. No. 32 of 2008 was preferred but was C
dismissed by a Division Bench of the same Court by an order
dated 2.4.2008, inter alia, holding:

" .... Admittedly, the appellant - caveator is neither the
brother of the testatrix, nor the descendant of the brother D
or the sister of the testatrix. The mere fact that the testatrix
predeceased her mother would not entitle the descendant
of the brother of the said mother of the testatrix to have
caveatable interest to imp lead himself as one of the parties
in the probate proceedings. It is contended that several E
litigations are going on between the parties with regard to
the properties inclusive of the properties which are the
subject-matter of the Will sought to be probated in the
• testimony case and in those cases, the petitioner -
caveator has been allowed to be impleaded. Merely
because the petitioner - appellant has been impleaded or F
substituted in other pending suits with reference to the
disputes over the properties including the properties which
are the subject matter of the Will, he cannot claim the right
to have caveatable interest. .. "
G
However, before us, an application for impleadment has
been filed, which has been allowed by an order dated
27.8.2007.

It is, however, stated at the Bar that the review application H
1028 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009] 3 S.C.R.

A has been allowed.

5. Indisputably, the property at A-4, Chirag Co-operative
Housing Society Limited known as Chirag Enclave, New Delhi
was mutated in the name of said Faiz by an order dated
12.4.2006. Askari and Sayed Akabir Hussain filed writ petitions
8
thereagainst. The said writ petitions also were dismissed.

6. We have noticed hereinbefore that the appellant filed
t
..
an application for quashing of the FIR which was, however,
dismissed by an order dated 29.7.2004 observing that the
C i:ippellants would be at liberty to move the trial court by way of
moving an application for stay of the criminal trial pending
adjudication of the question of the genuineness of the Will by
the Civil Court.

0 7. Mr. Dinesh Dwivedi, learned Senior Counsel appearing
on behalf of the appellants, would urge:

(i) A judgment in a probate proceeding being a
judgment in rem as envisaged under Section 41 of
the Indian Evidence Act, the criminal proceedings
E should have been directed to be stayed.

(ii) The learned trial judge as also the High Court
committed a serious error insofar as they failed to
take into consideration that the application under '
F Section 309 of the Code of Criminal Procedure was
dismissed on the same ground on which the
application for quashing the proceedings had been
dismissed.

8.Mr. A. Sharan, learned Additional Solicitor General
G appearing for State and Dr. AM. Singhvi, learned Senior
Counsel appearing on behalf of the impleaded respondent,
however would support the impugned judgment.

9. Indisputably, in a given case, a civil proceeding as also
H a criminal proceeding may proceed simultaneously.
SYED ASKARI HADI ALI AUGUSTINE IMAM & ANR. v. 1029
STATE (DELHI ADMN.) & ANR. [S.B. SINHA, J.]

Cognizance in a criminal proceeding can be taken by the A
criminal court upon arriving at the satisfaction that there exists
a prima facie case.

The question as to whether in the facts and circumstances
of the case one or the other proceedings would be stayed 8
would depend upon several factors including the riature and the
stage of the case.

10. It is, however, now well settled that ordinarily a criminal
proceeding will have primacy over the civil proceeding.
Precedence to a criminal proceeding is given having regard C
to the fact that disposal of a civil proceeding ordinarily takes a
long time and in the interest of justice the former should be
disposed of as expeditiously as possible.

The law in this behalf has been laid down in a large o
number of decisions. We may notice a few of them.

In M.S. Sheriff & Anr. vs. State of Madras & Ors. [AIR
1954 SC 397], a Constitution Bench of this Court was seized
of a question as to whether a civil suit or a criminal case should-
be stayed in the event both are pending; it was opined that the E
, . criminal matter should be given precedence.

In regard to the possibility of conflict in decisions, it was
held that the law envisages such an eventuality when it
expressly refrains from making the decision of one Court F
binding on the other or even relevant, except for certain limited
purposes, such as sentence or damages. It was held that the
only relevant consideration was the likelihood of
embarrassment.

If primacy is to be given to a criminal proceeding,
G
indisputably, the civil suit must be determined on its own merit,
keeping in view the evidences brought before it and not in
terms of the evidence brought in the criminal proceeding.

The question came up for consideration in K.G. H
1030 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2009] 3 S.C.R.
'
~
A Premshanker vs. Inspector of Police and anr. [(2002) 8 SCC
87], wherein this Court inter alia held:

"30. What emerges from the aforesaid discussion is- (1)
the previous judgment which is final can be relied upon as
provided under Sections 40 to 43 of the Evidence Act; (2)
B
in civil suits between the same parties, principle of res
judicata may apply; (3) in a criminal case, Section 300 ,.
~
CrPC makes provision that once a person is convicted or
acquitted, he may not be tried again for the same offence
if the conditions mentioned therein are satisfied; (4) if the
c criminal case and the civil proceedings are for the same
cause, judgment of the civil court would be relevant if
conditions of any of Sections 40 to 43 are satisfied, but it
cannot be said that the same would be conclusive except
as provided in Section 41. Section 41 provides which
D judgment would be conclusive proof of what is stated
therein.

31. Further, the judgment, order or decree passed in a
previous civil proceeding, if relevant, as provided under
E Sections 40 and 42 or other provisions of the Evidence
Act then in each case, the court has to decide to what
extent it is binding or conclusive with regard to the matter(s)
decided therein. Take for illustration, in a case of alleged
trespass by A on B's property, B filed a suit for declaration
•
F of its title and to recover possession from A and suit is
decreed. Thereafter, in a criminal prosecution by B against
A for trespass, judgment passed between the parties in
civil proceedings would be relevant and the court may hold
that it conclusively establishes the title as well as
possession of B over the property. In such case, A may
G
be convicted for trespass. The illustration to Section 42 t
which is quoted above makes the position clear. Hence,
in each and every case, the first question which would
require consideration is - whether judgment, order or
decree is relevant, if relevant - its effect. It may be
H
SYED ASKARI HADI ALI AUGUSTINE IMAM & ANR. v. 1031
STATE (DELHI ADMN.) & ANR. [S.B. SINHA, J.]

~-·
relevant for a limited purpose, such as, motive or as a fact A
in issue. This would depend upon the facts of each case."

It is, however, significant to notice that the decision of this
Court in Mis Karam Chand Ganga Prasad &anr. etc. vs. Union
of India &ors. [(1970) 3 sec 694], wherein it was categorically
B
held that the decisions of the civil courts will be binding on the
criminal courts but the converse is not true, was overruled,
.... stating:
...
"33. Hence, the observation made by this Court in V.M.
Shah case that the finding recorded by the criminal court c
stands superseded by the finding recorded by the civil
,, cqurt is not correct enunciation of law. Further, the general
observations made in Karam Chand case are in context
of the facts of the case stated above. The Court was not
-- ,.
required to consider the earlier decision of the Constitution
Bench in M.S. Sheriff case as well as Sections 40 to 43
D

of the Evidence Act." .

11. Axiomatically, if judgment of a civil court is not binding
on a criminal court, a judgment of a criminal court will certainly
E
not be binding on a civil court. We have noticed hereinbefore
that Section 43 of the Evidence Act categorically states that
judgments, orders or decrees, other than those mentioned in
• sections 40, 41 and 42 are irrelevant, unless the existence of
such judgment, order or decree, is a fact in issue, or is relevant
under some other provisions of the Act. No other provision of F
the Evidence Act or for that matter any other statute has been
brought to our notice.

Another Constitution Bench of this Court had the occasion
to consider a similar question in Iqbal Singh Marwah & Anr. G
~
vs. Meenakshi Marwah & Anr. [(2005) 4 SCC 370] wherein it
>- was held:

24. There is another consideration which has to be kept
in mind. Sub-section (1) of Section 340 CrPC
H
1032 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2009] 3 S.C.R.

A contemplates holding of a preliminary enquiry. Normally, 11.,
a direction for filing of a complaint is not made during the
pendency of the proceeding before the court and this is
done at the stage when the proceeding is concluded and
the final judgment is rendered. Section 341 provides for
B an appeal against an order directing filing of the complaint.
The hearing and ultimate decision of the appeal is bound
to take time. Section 343(2) confers a discretion upon a
court trying the complaint to adjourn the hearing of the ..,.
case if it is brought to its notice that an appeal is pending
c against the decision arrived at in the judicial proceeding
out of which the matter has arisen. In view of these
provisions, the complaint case may not proceed at all for
decades specially in matters arising out of civil suits where
decisions are challenged in successive appellate fora
which are time-consuming. It is also to be noticed that there '
,.. _
D
is no provision of appeal against an order passed under
Section 343(2), whereby hearing of the case is adjourned
until the decision of the appeal. These provisions show that,
in reality, the procedure prescribed for filing a complaint
by the court is such that it may not fructify in the actual trial
E of the offender for an unusually long period. Delay in
prosecution of a guilty person comes to his advantage as
witnesses become reluctant to give evidence and the
evidence gets lost. This important consideration dissuades •
us from accepting the broad interpretation sought to be
F placed upon clause (b}(it)."

Relying inter alia on M.S. Sheriff (supra), it was furthermore
held:
"32. Coming to the last contention that an effort should be
G!
made to avoid conflict of findings between the civil and
criminal courts, it is necessary to point out that the standard
of proof required in the two proceedings are entirely
different. Civil cases are decided on the basis of
preponderance of evidence while in a criminal case the
H
SYED ASKARI HADI ALI AUGUSTINE IMAM & ANR. v. 1033
STATE (DELHI ADMN.) & ANR. [S.B. SINHA, J.]

entire burden lies on the prosecution and proof beyond A
reasonable doubt has to be given. There is neither any
statutory provision nor any legal principle that the findings
recorded in one proceeding may be treated as final or
binding in the other, as both the cases have to be decided
on the basis of the evidence adduced therein." B

The question yet again came up for consideration in P.
'. Swaroopa Rani vs. M. Hari Narayana@ Hari Babu [AIR 2008
SC 1884], wherein it was categorically held:

"13. It is, however, well-settled that in a given case, civil c
proceedings and criminal proceedings can proceed
simultaneously. Whether civil proceedings or criminal
proceedings shall be stayed depends upon the fact and
" > circumstances of each case."
D
12. Mr. Dwivedi, however, would urge that in a case of this
nature Section 41 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 would be
applicable. Mr. Dwivedi would in support of his aforementioned
contention place strong reliance on Sardool Singh & Anr. vs.
Smt. Nasib Kaur [1987 (Supp.) SCC 146], Commissioner of E
Income Tax, Mumbai vs. Bhupen Champak Lal Dalal & Anr.
[(2001) 3 SCC 459] and Surinder Kumar & Ors. vs. Gian
Chand & Ors. [AIR 1957 SC 875].
"
Section 41 of the Indian Evidence Act reads as under:
F
"41 - Relevancy of certain judgments in probate, etc.,
jurisdiction. - A final judgment, order or decree of a
competent Court, in the exercise of probate, matrimonial
admiralty or insolvency.jurisdiction which confers upon or
takes away from any person any legal character, or which G
~ declares any person to be entitled to any such character,
~-
or to be entitled to any specific thing, not as against any
specified person but absolutely, is relevant when the
existence of any such legal character, or the title of any
such person to any such thing, is relevant. H
(
~
1034 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2009) 3 S.C.R.

A Such judgment, order or decree is conclusive proof-

that any legal character which it confers accrued at
the time when such judgment, order or decree came
into operation;
B that any legal character, to which it declares any
such person to be entitled, accrued, to that person
at the time when such judgment, order or decree -·
declares it to have accrued to that person;

c that any legal character which it takes away from
any such person ceased at the time from which
such judgment, order or decree declared that it had
ceased or should cease;

and that anything to which it declares any person
D to be so entitled was the property of that person at
the time from which such judgment, order or decree
declares that it had been or should be his property."

It speaks about a judgment. Section 41 of the Evidence
E Act would become applicable only when a final judgment is
rendered. Rendition of a final judgment which would be binding
on the whole world being conclusive in nature shall take a long
time. As and when a judgment is rendered in one proceeding
subject to the admissibility thereof keeping in view Section 43
F of the Evidence Act may be produced in another proceeding.
It is, however, beyond any cavil that a judgment rendered by a
probate court is a judgment in rem. It is binding on all courts
anct authorities. Being a judgment in rem it will have effect over
other judgments. A judgment in rem indisputably is conclusive
G in a criminal as well as in a civil proceeding.

We may, however, notice that whether a judgment in rem
is conclusive in a criminal proceeding or not, is a matter of
sorne doubt under the English law.

H Johnson and Bridgman, Taylor of Evidence, Vol. 2, in
SYED ASKARI HADI ALI AUGUSTINE IMAM & ANR. v. 1035
STATE (DELHI ADMN.) & ANR. [S.B. SINHA, J.]

0 S.1680 notes that 'whether a judgment in rem is conclusive in A
a criminal proceeding is a question which admits of some
doubt'. It is, however, concluded that it is said that nothing can
be more inconvenient or dangerous than a conflict of decisions
between different courts, and that, if judgments in rem are not
regarded as binding upon all courts alike, the most startling B
anomalies may occur.

~ A three judge Bench of this Court had the occasion to
consider the legal effect of a judgment vis-a-vis Section 41 of
the Evidence Act in Surinder Kumar & ors. vs. Gian Chand &
Ors. [AIR 1957 SC 875]. Kapur, J. speaking for the Bench,
c
opined:

"It is clear that the probate was applied for and obtained
after the judgment of the High Court and therefore could
not have been produced in that Court. The judgment of the D
Probate Court must be presumed to have been obtained
in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law and
it is a judgment in rem. The objection that the respondents
were not parties to it is thus unsustainable because of the
nature of the judgment itself." E
The question came up for consideration again before this
t
Court in Sardool Singh & Anr. vs. Smt. Nasib Kaur [1987
,.. (Supp.) SCC 146], wherein it was opined:

"A civil suit between the parties is pending wherein the F
contention of the respondent is that no Will was executed
whereas the contention of the appellants is that a Will has
been executed by the testator. A case for grant of probate
is also pending in the court of learned District Judge,
Rampur. The civil court is therefore seized of the question G

~-
. as regards the validity of the Will. The matter is sub judice
in the aforesaid two cases in Civil courts. At this juncture
the respondent cannot therefore be permitted to institute
a criminal prosecution on the allegation that the Will is a
forged one. That question will have to be decided by the H
1036 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2009] 3 S.C.R.

civil court after recording the evidence and hearing the
.
··--,,
A
parties in accordance with law. It would not be proper to
permit the respondent to prosecute the appellants on this
allegation when the validity of the Will is being tested before
a civil court. We, therefore, allow the appeal, set aside the
B order of the High Court, and quash the criminal
proceedings pending in the Court of the Judicial
Magistrate, First Class, Chandigarh in the case entitled
t
Smt. Nasib Kaur v. Sardoo/ Singh. This will not come in
the way of instituting appropriate proceedings in future in
c case the civil court comes to the conclusion that the Will
is a forged one." •
No ratio, however, can be culled out therefrom. Why such
~ direction was issued or such observations were made do not
appear from the said decision.
D
13. Herein, however, criminal case had already been
instituted. Whether the same would be allowed to be continued
or not is the question.

We have noticed herein before the decision in K. G.
E
Premshanker (supra). Mr. Dwivedi, however, would submit that
the court therein was concerned with a case involving Section
42 of the Evidence Act. The learned counsel may be correct '
as it was held that Section 41 is an exception to Sections 40, "
42 and 43 of the Act providing as to which judgment would be
F cor:iclusive proof of what is stated therein.

To the same effect are the decisions of some of the High
Courts.
In Mt. Daropti vs. Mt. Santi [1929 Lahore 483), it was held:
G
"The learned District Judge has held that the will was either '"
a forgery or had been executed under "undue influence".
As regards "undue influence" here was neither any plea,
nor evidence on the record to support the learned Judge's
H finding. Moreover, these questions could not be raised in
SYED ASKARI HADI ALI AUGUSTINE IMAM & ANR. v. 1037
STATE (DELHI ADMN.) & ANR. [S.B. SINHA, J.]

the present suit until and unless the letters of administration A
granted to Mela Ram was revoked. It was held in
Komol/ochun Dutt v.Nilrutten Manda/ (1897) 4 Cal. 360,
in somewhat similar circumstances under the Succession
Act of 1865, that where it is alleged that a probate has
been wrongly granted, the proper course is to apply to the B
Court which granted the probate to revoke the same. The
grant of letters of administration in the present case stands
on the same footing. The grant of letters of administration
so long as it subsists is conclusive evidence as regards
the proper execution of the Will and the legal character c
conferred on the administrator : vide Ss. 12 and 59,
Probate and Administration Act, 1881, corresponding to
Ss.227 and 273, Succession Act, 1925, which now
incorporates that Act, S.41, Evidence Act etc: Babu Lal
v. Hari Bakhsh (1918) 13 P.R. 1918; Venkataratnam v. 0
Ram Mahana Rao (1916) 31 M.L.J. 277; Kishore Bhai
Rewa Das v. Ranchodia (1916) 38 Born. 427 .. ."
In Darbara Singh vs. Karminder Singh & ors. [AIR 1979
Punjab & Haryana 215], it was held:
E
"5. The provision of sub-section (1) of Section 8 of the Act
makes it expressly clear in unqualified terms that no
personal covenant of the guardian shall be binding on the
minor. It means only this that, when looked from the stand

- point that the aforesaid interdiction is added at the fag-end F
of Section 8( 1) by way of proviso to the clause that
preceded it, a guardian though well within his right to enter
into a contract for the benefit of the minor, but the said
contract would not be enforceable against the minor even
when it was entered for his benefit and would be voidable G
at his instance."

A Constitution Bench of this Court in Iqbal Singh Marwah
& Anr. (supra) also does not appear to have dealt with this
aspect of the matter.
H
1038 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2009] 3 S.C.R.

A The question, however, would be as to whether despite the -{·- ..
same should we interfere with the impugned judgment. We do
not think that we should. Firstly, because the criminal case was
instituted much prior to the initiation of the probate proceeding
·-
and secondly because of the conduct of the appellant and the
B stage in which the probate proceedings are pending.
For the aforementioned purpose, it may not be relevant for
us to enter into the disputed question as to whether the Will is
surrounded by suspicious circumstances as the same would
c appropriately call for decision in the testamentary proceeding.
Pendency of two proceedings whether civil or criminal, however,
by itself would not attract the provisions of Section 41 of the
Evidence Act. A judgment has to be pronounced. The
genuineness of the Will must be gone into. Law envisages not
only genuineness of the Will but also explanation to all the
D suspicious circumstances surrounding thereto besides proof
thereof in terms of Section 63(c) of the Indian Succession Act,
and Section 68 of the Evidence Act. [See Lalitaben Jayantila/
Popat vs. Pragnaben Jamnadas Kataria & Ors. 2009 (1)
SCALE 328]
E
14. The FIR was lodged not only in regard to forgery by
the Will but also on the cause of action of a trespass. Appellant
admittedly is facing trial under Section 420, 468 and 448 of the ~

IPC. It is, thus, possible that even if the Will is found to be "
F genuine and that no case under Section 468 of the IPC is found
to have been made out, appellant may be convicted for
commission of other offences for which he has been charged
against, namely, trespass into the property and cheating. If it
-
is found that the appellant is guilty of trespass, he may be
•asked to handover possession of the premises in question to
G
the complainant.
~
-<
15. Exercise of such a jurisdiction furthermore is
discretionary. As noticed by several decisions of this Court,
including two Constitution Bench decisions, primacy has to be
H given to a criminal case. The FIR was lodged on 19.9.2002.
\ .

SYED ASKARI HADI ALI AUGUSTINE IMAM & ANR. v. 1039
STATE (DELHI ADMN.) & ANR. [S.B. SINHA, J.]

Not only another civil suit is pending, as noticed hereinbefore, A
but a lis in relation to mutation is also pending.

Whereas the criminal case is pending before the Delhi
court, the testamentary suit has been filed before the Jharkhand
High Court. Since 2003 not much progress has been made 8
therein. The Will has not been sent to the handwriting expert
for his opinion, which is essential for determination of the
question in regard to the genuineness of the Will. It is alleged
that the Will was registered at Hazaribagh after the death of
the testatrix. For the last seven years in view of the pendency C
of the matters before the High Courts in different proceedings
initiated by the appellant, the criminal case has not proceeded,
although as noticed hereinbefore charge-sheet has been filed
and cognizance of the offence has been taken.

We, therefore, are of the opinion that it is not a fit case D
where we should exercise our discretionary jurisdiction under
Article 136 of the Constitution of India having regard to the facts
and circumstances of the present case.

16. For the aforementioned reasons, we find no merit in E
this appeal. The appeal is dismissed. No costs.

- R.P. Appeal dismissed.