Akhil ordered 100 Kgs of wheat to M/s Sahil Kirana Store, and it promised to supply the wheat by the evening. In the evening, the hawker of M/s Sahil Kirana Store comes with 100 Kgs of wheat but mistakenly he delivered it at the house of neighbor of Akhil. Referring to the provisions of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, advice who will be liable to pay the price of wheat?

By virtue of provisions of Section 72 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, a person to whom money has been paid or anything delivered by mistake or under coercion, must repay or return it. Further, as per decision taken in case of Shivprasad Vs Sirish Chandra, every kind of payment of money or delivery of goods for every type of ‘mistake’ is recoverable. In the instant case, Akhil contracted M/s Sahil Kirana Store for supply of 100 Kgs of wheat which to be delivered by the evening. In the evening, the hawker of M/s Sahil Kirana Store mistakenly delivered 100 Kgs wheat at the house of neighbor of Akhil. As the hawker of M/s Sahil Kirana Store mistakenly delivered 100 Kgs wheat at the house of neighbor of Akhil and neighbor accepted the wheat, there is a quasi-contract between M/s Sahil Kirana Store and neighbor. Hence, neighbor will be liable to pay the price of wheat.