Property right

Dear Client,
Based on the facts stated, if your father-in-law validly executed a settlement deed in favour of your wife in 2006 and your wife subsequently transferred the property to you through a legally valid conveyance in 2014, then you have a strong claim to ownership of the land and the house standing thereon.

In the event your brother-in-law files a case, the outcome will depend upon the validity of the settlement deed, the subsequent transfer in your favour, and the relevant title documents. You should preserve the original settlement deed, the deed by which your wife transferred the property to you, revenue records, tax receipts, mutation records, and any documents showing your possession and ownership.

If the settlement deed was duly executed and the property was effectively transferred during your father-in-law's lifetime, your brother-in-law may not automatically acquire rights over that portion merely because he inherited the remaining property after your father-in-law's death. However, he may still challenge the transaction on various legal grounds, and such claims would have to be decided by the court on the evidence presented.

If legal proceedings are initiated, you should engage an advocate, file a written statement contesting the claim, and produce all title documents establishing the chain of ownership from your father-in-law to your wife and thereafter to you.

For further legal assistance contact an Advocate.