The court emphasized the importance of timely implementation of maintenance orders and directed the husband to comply with the orders within a specified time period.

1. Both these petitions arise out of the same set of facts and are being disposed of by this common order.

2. Crl M C No. 1859 of 2008 is directed against the order dated 28th November 2007 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge („ASJ?) Delhi dismissing Criminal Revision No. 47 of 2007 filed by the Petitioner husband thereby affirming an order dated 29th August 2007 passed by the learned Metropolitan Magistrate („MM?) Delhi directed the Petitioner to pay interim maintenance @ Rs.2,000/- per month to his wife Respondent No.1 Sarika and Rs.1,500/- per month to his minor son Respondent No.2 Master Anurag from 8th February 2004 till the disposal of the petition on merits.

3. Crl M C No. 3089 of 2008 also by the petitioner husband is directed against the order dated 14th August 2008 passed by the learned MM in execution proceedings directing issuance of warrant of attachment of the moveable property of the Petitioner towards realization of the interim maintenance awarded against him.

4. On the first date of hearing of Crl M C No. 1859 of 2008 on 28th May 2008 this Court had directed that “the petitioner shall continue to pay interim maintenance as awarded by the trial court” during the pendency of this petition. However, despite two adjournments since then, the Petitioner has not complied with this direction. As a result despite, succeeding in her petition for interim maintenance before the learned MM and in the revision petition by the husband before learned ASJ, Respondents 1 and 2 date have till date not received any amount whatsoever from the Petitioner. Further, till date there has never been a stay of the order of the learned MM. The reason offered for non-compliance is the petitioner?s financial incapacity. This is the same ground urged before and rejected by the learned ASJ. Also, it is not as if the petitioner has made payment of a portion of the amount due to Respondents 1 and 2 and is willing to pay the balance in a reasonable time. It is a blunt refusal to make any payment whatsoever, even to the minor son. This conduct of the petitioner in making no attempt whatsoever to comply with this Court?s direction is unacceptable and should disentitle the petitioner to relief. Nevertheless learned counsel for the Petitioner has been heard at length on the merits of the case as well.

5. The petitioner and Respondent No.1 were married on 23rd November 2000. The child Anurag was born to them on 4th October 2001. According to Respondent No.1 soon after the marriage she began to be harassed by the Petitioner husband and his family members for dowry. In particular they demanded that her parents should give a residential flat. Respondent No.1 was beaten several times and left at her parents? place. Later a compromise was effected on 15th July 2002 but this was short lived. On 11th June 2003 after being beaten up by her in-laws, Respondent No.1 along with her minor son again came to her parents? house. For a second time a compromise appears to have been reached before the police on 6th August 2003 with the Petitioner agreeing that he, respondent No.1 and the child would live in a separate flat within six months. On this assurance, Respondent No.1 agreed that her complaint made to the police should be treated as closed. Subsequently the Special Executive Magistrate also closed the proceedings under Sections 107/151 CrPC by an order dated 21st September 2003. Even this apparently did not work out. Respondent No.1 was back in her parents? house on 8th February 2004 with the child.

6. In the meanwhile in Complaint Case No.445/3/03 was filed by Respondents 1 and 2 against the Petitioner under Section 125 CrPC seeking maintenance. Respondent No.1 stated that she was not earning and also had no source of income whereas the Petitioner was employed in a book publication house earning around Rs. 12000 per month. Accordingly Respondent No.1 claimed maintenance of Rs. 4,000 per month for herself and Rs. 3,000 per month for the child