SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2017 Supreme(Gau) 31

IN THE HIGH COURT OF GAUHATI, ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH
RUMI KUMARI PHUKAN, J.
Sherokh Rashid Hazarika S/o Late Rashid Ali Hazarika – Petitioner
Versus
Musstt. Jafrina Hazarika D/o Late Dilawar Hazarika – Respondent
Criminal Petition No. 1003 of 2014
Decided On : 10-01-2017

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioner: Mr. B.K. Singh.
For the Respondents: Mr. B. Sarma and Mr. A.M. Bora.

Headnote:

Criminal Procedure Code,1973 – Section 125 and 482 - Domestic Violence Act, 2005 – 12 , 18 to 23 - Protection of Rights on Divorce Act, 1986 – Divorse matter - Maintenance - Directed to pay maintenance - Petitioner/respondent got married as per and out of wedlock two daughters were born to them but eventually relation terminated into a formal divorce on as per Sorihat Law - Parties to marriage as a matter of fact got separated far back on and formal divorce certificate was awarded - On approach by respondent for getting maintenance for herself and her two minor daughters, Air Force Authority directed petitioner to pay maintenance of Rs.22,800/- per months to the two daughters of the parties with effect from month and said amount was directed to be deducted from petitioner’s salary - Respondent no.1 thereafter filed a petition for maintenance before Principal Judge, Family Court, Kamrup vide F.C. (Criminal) No. praying for maintenance for herself and two daughters and on objection filed by present petitioner that respondent is not entitled to get maintenance in view of divorce between parties respondent withdrawn said petition with a submission that proper petition will be filed as per provision of Muslem (Protection of Rights on Divorce Act, 1986) for relief of divorce but respondent subsequently filed the aforesaid regarding Domestic Violence with various allegations pertaining to period which is far remote affairs and thereafter courts by the impugned ex-parte order has directed present petitioner to make a monthly maintenance of Rs.15,000/- to respondent – Held, Court held that conduct of parties even prior to coming into force of protection of woman from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 would be taken into consideration while passing an order U/S 18, 19 and 20 thereof - Wife who has shared a household in past but was no longer residing with her husband and can file a petition U/S 12 it subjected to any act of domestic violence - An act of domestic violence once committed, subsequent decree of divorce will not absolved liability of respondent form offence committed or to deny benefit to which the aggrieved person entailed under Domestic Violence Act, 2005 including monetary relief U/S 20, child custody U/S 21, compensation U/S 22 and interim or ex-parte order - Proposition set forth by aforesaid decisions there can be no dispute that divorcee cannot file a petition under the provisions of Domestic Violence Act, 2005 - Submission of the learned counsel for petitioner that there being no any case pending under Section 498(A)IPC (that has been indicated in the aforesaid (para 31) of the judgment) same is not applicable to respondent holds no good - Petition stands dismissed accordingly.

JUDGMENT & ORDER :

1. By this revision the petitioner has prayed for quashing of the DV-C/No. 11DV of 2014 pending in the Court of learned Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate (Sadar),Tinsukia U/S 12 of the Protection of Woman From Domestic Violence Act, 2005 including the order dated 18.11.2014 whereby the petitioner has been directed to pay maintenance @ Rs.15,000/- per month to the wife (respondent no. 1) by the aforesaid ex-parte order.

2. The petitioner/respondent got married on 28.10.1996 as per Moslem Sorihat and out of the wedlock two daughters were born to them but eventually the relation terminated into a formal divorce on 4.9.2013 as per Sorihat Law. The parties to the marriage as a matter of fact got separated far back on 23.3.2013 and formal divorce certificate was awarded on 4.9.2013. On approach by the respondent for getting maintenance for herself and her two minor daughters, the Air Force Authority directed the petitioner to pay the maintenance of Rs.22,800/- per months to the two daughters of the parties with effect from the month of February, 2014 and the said amount was directed to be deducted from the petitioner’s salary. It may be mentioned that the petitioner was working as the Wing Commander in the Indian Air Force and the aforesaid order was made in accordance with Section 91 (1) of the Airforce Act and the amount is so deducted, is being credited to the bank account of the respondent.

3. The respondent no.1 thereafter filed a petition for maintenance before the Principal Judge, Family Court, Kamrup vide F.C. (Criminal) No. 653/2013 praying for maintenance for herself and two daughters and on objection filed by the present petitioner that the respondent is not entitled to get maintenance in view of the divorce between the parties, the respondent withdrawn the said petition with a submission that proper petition will be filed as per provision of Muslem (Protection of Rights on Divorce Act, 1986) for the relief of the divorce but the respondent subsequently filed the aforesaid DV-C/No. 11DV of 2014 regarding Domestic Violence with various allegations pertaining to the period 2007 and 2011 which is far remote affairs and thereafter the courts by the impugned ex-parte order has directed the present petitioner to make a monthly maintenance of Rs.15,000/- to the respondent. The aforesaid order as well as the DV proceeding is stated to be bad in law inasmuch as the petitioner has already divorced the respondent and also offered the Meher amount to which she did not accept and has filed the case with false allegation after more than one year of divorce.

4. The contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner mainly on the ground that as there was divorce between the parties in the year 2013 and as such filing of petition under Domestic Violence Act after the divorce is not maintainable. In this context the learned counsel for the petitioner also referred the decision reported in (2011) 12 SCC 588 Indrajit Singh Grewal vs. State of Punjab; 2013 (3) GLT 344 Meraj Alom (Alhaz Dr. Md.) vs. State of Assam & Another and (2014) 10 SCC 736 Juveria Abdul Mozid Patni vs. Atif Iqbal Mansoori and Another.

5. On the other hand the learned counsel for the respondent has vehemently objected against the above contention that has been raised by the petitioner and placing reliance to the decision of Juveria Abdul Mozid Patni vs. Atif Iqbal Mansoori and Another (supra), it has been submitted that as per the latest pronouncement of the Hon’ble Apex Court in the aforesaid decision, a petition filed by the divorce wife under the aforesaid Act is maintainable.

6. Due consideration is given to the aforesaid submission and also gone through the citations referred above. Needless to say, the latest pronouncement of the Apex Court will prevail on the subject in hand. For better appreciation let us reproduce the relevant portion of the judgment in Juveria Abdul Mozid Patni vs. Atif Iqbal Mansoori and Another (supra):

“7. Before this Court par



















Click Here to Read the rest of this document

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top