Limitation Act, 1963
17. Effect of fraud or mistake –
(1) Where, in the case of any suit or application for which a
period of limitation is prescribed by this Act-
a. the suit or
application is based upon the fraud of the defendant or respondent or his
agent; or
b. the knowledge of
the right or title on which a suit or application is founded is concealed by
the fraud of any such person as aforesaid; or
c. the suit or
application is for relief from the consequences of a mistake; or
d. where any document
necessary to establish the right of the plaintiff or applicant has been
fraudulently concealed from him;
the period of limitation shall not begin to run until the
plaintiff or applicant has discovered the fraud or the mistake or could, with
reasonable diligence, has discovered it, or in the case of concealed document,
until the plaintiff or the applicant first had the means of producing the
concealed document or compelling its production:
Provided that nothing in this section shall enable any
suit to be instituted or application to be made to recover or enforce any
charge against or set aside any transaction affecting, any property which-
i. in the case of fraud, has been purchased
for valuable consideration by a person who was not a party to the fraud and did
not at the time of the purchase know, or have reason to believe, that any fraud
had been committed, or
ii. in the case of mistake, has been purchased
for valuable consideration subsequently to the transaction in which the mistake
was made, by a person who did not know, or have reason to believe, that the
mistake had been made, or
iii. in the case of a concealed document, has
been purchased for valuable consideration by a person who was not a party to
the concealment and, did not at the time of purchase know, or have reason to
believe, that the document had been concealed.
(2) Where a judgment-debtor has, by fraud or force, prevented
the execution of a decree or order within the period of limitation, the court
may, on the application of the judgment-creditor made after the expiry of the
said period extend the period for execution of the decree or order:
Provided that such application is made within one year
from the date of the discovery of the fraud or the cessation of force, as the
case may be.