IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
Aravind Kumar, A.J. Shastri, JJ.
Sonal Aashish Madhapariya – Appellant
Versus
Aashish Harjibhai Madhapariya – Respondent
Misc. Civil Application No. 384 of 2021
Decided On : 22-08-2022
Constitution of India, 1950 - Article 215 - Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 - Section 2(b), 21- Wills Act, 1837 - Section 18A - Children Act, 1989 - Section 5(3), 5(4), 6 - High Courts to be courts of record Every High Court shall be a court of record - Civil contempt - Act not to apply to Nyaya Panchayats or other village courts - Effect of dissolution or annulment of marriage on wills -Whether contempt has been committed or is not a matter of mechanical application of mind - In a given case, it has to be tested having regard to subject matter of proceedings in which it is made and nexus between alleged contumacious act –Held, This Court and thereby respondent having committed contempt - In absence of any positive material to said effect, it is difficult for this Court to arrive at a conclusion that contempt is committed by respondent, more particularly when this issue is quasi criminal in which there must be a specific material to indicate willful disobedience - In absence of any cogent material on record, it is not possible for this Court to arrive at a conclusion that respondent has willfully disobeyed or violated any of direction of this Court - Hence, Court are unable to accede to request of petitioner - Court is expected to examine with blinkers eye, court are not inclined to process present application any further - Stands disposed of.
JUDGMENT :
Aravind Kumar, J.
1. By way of this Misc. Civil Application under the provisions of Contempt of Courts Act and also under Article 215 of the Constitution of India, the petitioner has prayed for the following reliefs:
(b) To grant such further and other reliefs, as may be deemed to be just and proper.”
2. The background of facts which has given rise to the present contempt petition is that the petitioner-original appellant had filed substantive First Appeal No. 184 of 2021 in which the petitioner has moved Civil Application No. 1 of 2021 for stay of the proceedings in Family Suit No. BV20D02693 filed by the respondent herein in Family Court at Willesden, United Kingdom. In the First Appeal, the Division Bench of this Court was pleased to stay the further proceedings of the aforementioned proceedings of the Court at United Kingdom vide order dated 27.01.2021 which order came to be extended from time to time and according to the petitioner ultimately the said Civil Application No. 1 of 2021 came to be allowed by confirming ad-interim relief till final disposal of First Appeal.
3. It is further the case of the petitioner that order of stay dated 27.01.2021 was passed in presence of representative i.e. lawyer of respondent but even direction was given to the Registry to provide a copy of said order to the learned advocate which was done on same day itself, i.e. on 27.01.2021 at about 12:45 P.M. which was communicated through an E-mail to the learned advocate Mr. Kirtidev R. Dave who represented the respondent. However, during subsequent hearings, it was informed to the learned advocate appearing for the petitioner that the learned Solicitor indicated that respondent would be challenging the order before the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India and surprisingly, it was noticed in one affidavit filed by the respondent that his Solicitor (Mr. Ashwin Patel) had replied inter-alia informing the respondent that there was no need on their part to intimate the Family Court at Willesden, United Kingdom and also that unless an application with an advance copy to him is moved, by the petitioner, the Family Court at Willesden, United Kingdom will not be staying the proceedings and the decree would be passed. From the communications, according to the petitioner it is not clear as to what reply is received by the respondent from his learned Solicitor and though the E-mail sent to the learned Family Court at Willesden, United Kingdom by the learned advocate appearing for the petitioner on 27.01.2021 itself, but the Family Court at Willesden passed a preliminary decree. According to the petitioner it was further noticed that respondent had challenged ad-interim order dated 27.01.2021 passed in Civil Application No. 1 of 2021 in First Appeal No. 27985 of 2020 converted to First Appeal No. 184 of 2021 by way of filing Special Leave Petition No. 2515-2516 of 2021 in which the Hon'ble Supreme Court was pleased to dismiss the Special Leave Petition on 15.02.2021 and accordingly, the Hon'ble Supreme Court has not interfered with the order which has been passed by co-ordinate Bench on 27.01.2021. Even later on, said Civil Application No. 1 of 2021 was allowed vide order dated 20.04.2021 in which ad-interim stay granted initially on 27.01.2021 was confirmed till final disposal of First Appeal No. 184 of 2021, but it
Contempt - Appellant can be exonerated for contempt of court giving benefit of doubt as he tendered unconditional apologies sincerely for the delay in implementation of the order of the court with al....
The court emphasized that contempt proceedings should only be initiated when there is a clear case of wilful disobedience of a court's order and that the respondents followed due process to extend cr....
The court must be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the contemnor has willfully, deliberately and intentionally violated the court's order. If the disobedience is the result of some compelling c....
Contempt proceedings necessitate clear evidence of willful disobedience of court orders; mere allegations are insufficient.
The judgment emphasized the need for a clear case of wilful disobedience to the Court's order before exercising the jurisdiction to punish for contempt.
The necessity of proving the contemnor's knowledge of the court's order beyond reasonable doubt is essential to establish civil contempt under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
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