In Brief
The appellants claimed ownership of disputed plots in Azamgarh through adverse possession and continuous possession recorded in revenue documents. The Settlement Officer, Consolidation accepted their claim, but the Deputy Director reversed this on examining the Khasra/Khatauni entries and found them unreliable due to over-writings and inconsistencies. The High Court upheld the Deputy Director's order. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, holding that appreciation of evidence must cease at some appellate stage and cannot percolate to constitutional courts under Article 136. The examination of revenue record validity by the Deputy Director was not a re-appraisal of evidence, and the High Court's factual findings should not be reopened without demonstrating travesty of justice."
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