A intentionally and falsely leads B to believe that certain land belongs to A and thereby induces B to buy and pay for it. The land afterwards becomes the property of A. A cannot be allowed to set aside the sale on the ground that, at the time of the sale, he had no title. This is by virtue of the doctrine of

Correct option is A

The correct option is (a) Estoppel.

Explanation

The scenario described is a classic illustration of the Doctrine of Estoppel, which is codified in Section 121 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (previously Section 115 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872).

• The Principle: Estoppel is a rule of evidence that prevents a person from denying the truth of a statement they previously made, or from contesting the existence of a fact that they enabled another person to believe.
• Application to the Question: When "A" intentionally causes "B" to believe a piece of land belongs to him and induces "B" to buy it, "A" is legally barred (estopped) from later claiming the sale is invalid just because he didn't actually own the land at the time of the transaction. Even if he acquires the title later, the law "feeds the estoppel," meaning his newly acquired title automatically validates the previous sale to "B."
• Mandatory Prohibition: The court will not allow "A" to prove he had no title at the time of the sale because it would be inequitable to let him profit from his own false representation.

Information Booster:

The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 outlines the requirements for Estoppel in Chapter VIII:

• Three Essential Elements (Section 121):
1. Declaration, Act, or Omission: One person must make a representation to another.
2. Intentional Inducement: The representation must be intended to make the other person believe something to be true.
3. Action Taken: The other person must act upon that belief.
• Legal Consequence: Neither the person who made the representation nor their representative is allowed, in any suit or proceeding, to deny the truth of that thing.
• Estoppel of Tenant (Section 122): A tenant of immovable property is not permitted to deny that the landlord had a title to such property at the beginning of the tenancy