‘Dead’ man walks into Chandigarh Court: 71-year-old files petition to set aside 2016 decree

A 71-year-old man appeared in the Chandigarh District Court today and filed an application to set aside a decree passed 10 years ago that had declared him dead. The applicant is also seeking a directive for the government to start his pension.

Anil Mann, a resident of Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, filed an application through advocate Anil Kumar Joshi. Mann stated that in 2016, his wife obtained an ex parte judgment and decree from the court, and has been receiving benefits from the Government of Haryana since 2005 up to the present.

He confirmed that he is alive. He first learned of the ex parte judgment and decree when he approached his department to seek pension benefits in December 2024. Subsequently, on March 19, 2025, he received a letter informing him that the Civil Court had declared him legally dead.

In view of the court’s order, all benefits are now being received by his wife. He stated that his relationship with his wife is not cordial and that she has filed multiple cases against him — including proceedings under the Domestic Violence Act, criminal complaints and a maintenance case.
He then relocated to Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, his wife intentionally concealed from the court that she was fully aware he was alive and residing in Uttar Pradesh, and she filed the present suit to wrongfully use his service benefits. He had no knowledge of the pendency of the suit.

He also recently approached the Sector‑17 Police Station in Chandigarh and lodged a DDR on November 23, 2024, stating that his wife had previously recorded a DDR on September 18, 2005, regarding his disappearance. He has now confirmed that he is alive and has returned home. He contends that his wife obtained the decree based on a false and misleading narrative — that he had been missing and unheard of for seven years.

Mann informed that he has been residing at his permanent address in Hapur. He is ready and willing to appear before the court to prove his existence.

He emphasised that the impugned ex‑parte decree carries serious legal consequences, adversely affecting his property, marital and civil status. It is imperative in the interests of justice that the decree be set aside and he be granted an opportunity to defend himself, he said.

He added that upon discovering that he was declared dead, he fell into depression. In August 2025, he sought legal assistance and pursuant to that guidance, filed the present application in this court.