1. Heard Mr. Coutinho, learned Counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner and Mr. Menezes, learned Counsel appearing on behalf of respondent no. 1. In this matter, Rule was issued by order dated 04/04/2012 and hearing was expedited.

2. By this petition, the petitioner has challenged the order dated 07/07/2011 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, FTC-I, Margao (Sessions Judge, for short), in Criminal Appeal No. 98/2010.

3. The petitioner and respondent no. 1 were married on 10/04/2005 and according to the petitioner they lived together till 18/04/2006, on which day she was forcibly driven out of the house by the respondent no. 1 whereas according to the respondent no. 1, the petitioner left the matrimonial house on 24/05/2006, without his consent. The marriage has been annulled by the Patriarchal Tribunal for the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman by judgment dated 17/09/2009 and the registration of their marriage has been cancelled. The petitioner filed an application in the prescribed Form I and II under Section 12 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 ('the Domestic Violence Act', for short) alleging domestic violence and sought protectio