2017 Supreme(Bom) 1878
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
R.D. DHANUKA, J.
Jaideep Ashok Gholkar - Petitioner
VERSUS
Rakhee Jaideep Gholkar @ Rakhee Sudhir Shejwalkar - Respondent
WRIT PETITION NO. 7176 OF 2017
Decided On : 30-11-2017
For the Petitioner: Mr. Nitin P. Dalvi.
For the Respondent: Mr.Abhijeet D.Sarawate.
Headnote:
Article 227 - Family Dispute - Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, Section 24, Section 25 - The court discussed the provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, particularly Sections 24 and 25, and their application in a family dispute case. The court emphasized the power of the Family Court to stop the husband from entering the matrimonial home and to ask him to vacate the premises in appropriate cases, as established in the case of Samir Vidyasagar Bhardwaj Vs. Nandita Samir Bhardwaj, reported in AIR 2017 SC 2713.
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner and respondent were married, and the respondent filed for divorce and sought possession of a jointly owned flat. The Family Court found the petitioner to be in an abusive relationship with the respondent and directed him to vacate the flat and hand over possession to the respondent.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the petitioner's conduct was contemptuous and ordered him to implement the Family Court's order to vacate the flat and hand over possession to the respondent within one week.
Issues: The issues included the ownership of the flat, the abusive relationship between the parties, and the petitioner's compliance with the Family Court's orders.
Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized the power of the Family Court to intervene in family disputes, stop the husband from entering the matrimonial home, and order him to vacate the premises in appropriate cases.
Final Decision: The writ petition was dismissed, and the petitioner was directed to implement the Family Court's order to vacate the flat and hand over possession to the respondent within one week.
1. By this writ petition filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, the petitioner has impugned the order dated 27th May, 2016 below Ex.1 and order dated 26th April, 2017 below Ex.56 in P.A.No.743 of 2015 passed by the learned Family Court No.2, Pune. By an order dated 27th May, 2016 below Ex.1, the Family Court No.2, Pune had allowed the application filed by the respondent wife and had directed the petitioner to vacate the Flat No.12, Saptasur Apartment, Plot Nos. 9 and 10, Survey No.94, Bhusari Colony, Kothrud, Pune – 411 038 within a period of 30 days from the date of the said order. By the order dated 26th April, 2017, below Ex.56, Judge, Family Court No.2, allowed the application filed by the respondent and directed the petitioner to provide vacant, peaceful possession of the said flat in compliance with the earlier order passed by the learned Judge, Family Court No.2 and further directed the petitioner to make an appropriate provision of residence of his mother at the place where he was currently residing at Pune or at Karad where she was holding a property. Some of the relevant facts for the purpose of deciding this petition are as under :-
2. The petitioner and the respondent were married as per Hindu Vedic Rights on 26th June, 2004 at Pune. It is the case of the respondent that prior to her marriage, she was working at Microline India Pvt. Ltd. The petitioner was working as a software developer. According to the respondent, the respondent was meted with cruelty by the petitioner and his mother. The petitioner accordingly had filed a petition P.A.No.743 of 2015 inter alia praying for decree of divorce against the petitioner on the ground of cruelty and for various reliefs. There was a son born out of the said wedlock to the parties. It is the case of the respondent that the said flat was jointly owned by the petitioner and the respondent. The respondent filed an application (Ex.1) inter alia praying that she be inducted in the said flat and prayed for an injunction against the petitioner from entering the said flat on various grounds. The petitioner did not dispute the contribution of the respondent while purchasing the flat before the Family Court and that the respondent was joint owner of the said flat with the petitioner.
3. Before the Family Court, the respondent placed reliance on the transcript of conversation between the petitioner and the respondent in the form of compact disc containing audio files. The Family Court considered the said transcript of conversation between the parties and observed that the petitioner herein was in abusive relationship with the respondent and the respondent was out of the flat though she had contributed major share while purchasing the flat. The Family Court also observed that there was no record to believe that the respondent had made any attempt to provide such accommodation or the alternative accommodation to the child, since they parted their ways.
4. The Family Court accordingly held that the abusive husband can be asked to vacate the flat to make a room for the respondent wife to enter and live in the flat along with her child. The Family Court accordingly directed the petitioner to vacate the said flat and to handover peaceful possession of the said flat to the respondent herein and the child and permitted the respondent herein to hold interim possession of the said flat till final disposal of the petition. In paragraph (6) of the order, the Family Court directed that after vacating the flat, the petitioner shall not re-enter the flat till rights of the parties are decided finally in the main petition.
5. The petitioner herein filed a writ petition bearing No.7851 of 2016 in this court impugning the said order passed by the Family Court. The said writ petition appeared before this court on 19th July 2016 when the learned advocate for the petitioner herein sought to withdraw the said writ petition stating that he would challenge the impugned order by way of