IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
M.V. Muralidaran, J.
M. Abdul Gaffar and Ors. - Petitioner
Versus
State rep. by Protection Officer, Domestic Violence Act, District Welfare Office – Respondent
Crl.O.P.No.20192 of 2010 & M.P.No.1 of 2010 and Crl.R.C.No.611 of 2012 & M.P.No.1 of 2012
Decided On : 22-01-2019
Domestic Violence Act, 2005 - Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 - Sections 9(a) and 37(2) - Section 19, 20 and 21 - Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - Section 125 – Section 128 - Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956 – Shariat Act, 1937 - Parsi Matrimonial Act,1936 - Muslim Women Act, 2019 – Marriage - Suit For Maintenance - Petitioner was married to the respondent and her parents gave dowry of Rs.50,000/- including 25 sovereigns of gold and 4 Lakhs was spent towards marriage expenses and they both lived happily for two months and after that petitioner found out immoral life led by respondent with his brother’s wife - When petitioner questioned respondent, he showed his indifferent behavior and started to abuse and assault petitioner and demanded further sovereigns of gold and two lakhs cash - Respondent completely ignored petitioner in leading matrimonial life and even failed to fulfill basic medical needs and food - Respondent is working as Assistant in B.D.O.s Office earning not less than Rs.15,000/- per month - Hence petitioner filed maintenance - Respondent denied allegation of dowry and illicit intimacy with his sister-in-law and also denied that he earns Rs.15,000/- per month - Respondent further alleged that he divorced petitioner as per Muslim Law and she cannot claim maintenance against him – Held, On careful re-appreciation of evidences adduced by both parties court is of view that issue raised by petitioner for quashing domestic incident report needs to be considered - As per averments made in both complaints, wife of petitioner alleged serious allegations against her husband particularly having immoral life with his brother’s wife - It is admitted fact that legality and consummation of marriage were not disputed but petitioner/husband denied his immoral character as suspected by her wife - It is also an admitted fact that brother of petitioner was employed in abroad - Claim of dowry and other allegations are also countered by petitioner as frivolous - Curiously, petitioner denies all allegations made against him by respondent but he did not explain contrary - Exhibit P5 document was admitted by both parties regarding panchayat conducted before Muthavalli - Further petitioner has admitted that he is a Junior Assistant in B.D.O.s Office - Maintenance order passed is confirmed – Petition Dismissed.
The Criminal Revision is filed by the husband challenging the order passed in M.C.No.31 of 2009 on the file of the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Vellore dated 12.01.2012 under section 125 (i) of Cr.P.C. wherein the learned trial Judge directed the husband to pay monthly maintenance of Rs.5,000/- per month from the date of petition to his wife.
2. The Criminal Original Petition is filed to quash the domestic incident report filed by the respondent in M.C.No.1 of 2010 on the file of the learned Judicial Magistrate No.1, Vellore dated 04.12.2009 under sections 9(a) and 37(2) of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005.
3. Brief case of the petitioner in Crl.R.C.No.611 of 2012 :
The petitioner Parveen filed the maintenance application under section 125 of Cr.P.C. against her husband/respondent namely Abdul Gaffer to pay Rs.10,000/- per month as maintenance.
4. The petitioner was married to the respondent on 30.01.2005 at Vellore and her parents gave dowry of Rs.50,000/- including 25 sovereigns of gold and 4 Lakhs was spent towards marriage expenses and they both lived happily for two months and after that the petitioner found out the immoral life led by the respondent with his brother’s wife. When the petitioner questioned the respondent, he showed his indifferent behavior and started to abuse and assault the petitioner and demanded further sovereigns of gold and two lakhs cash. The respondent completely ignored the petitioner in leading the matrimonial life and even failed to fulfill the basic medical needs and food. The respondent is working as Assistant in B.D.O.s Office earning not less than Rs.15,000/- per month. Hence the petitioner filed maintenance.
5. The respondent denied allegation of dowry and illicit intimacy with his sister-in-law and also denied that he earns Rs.15,000/- per month. The Respondent further alleged that he divorced the petitioner as per Muslim Law and she cannot claim maintenance against him.
6. Before the trial Court, the petitioner herself examined as PW1 and marked Exhibits-P1 to P7. The respondent examined himself as RW1 and marked Exhibits-R1 to R12.
7. On completion of the trial, the learned trial judge after appreciating the evidences of both sides, directed the respondent to pay a monthly maintenance of Rs.5,000/- per month from the date of petition.
8. Brief case of the petitioner in Crl.O.P.20192 of 2010 :
The petitioner/wife filed the complaint against the respondent/husband under section 19, 20 and 21 of the Protection of the Women’s from Domestic Violence Act 2005 before the learned Judicial Magistrate No.1, Vellore. The learned trial Magistrate took cognizance of the offence and directed the protection officer to file the domestic incident report and the same was filed before the trial Court on 04.12.2009 against the respondent/husband and his brother’s wife namely Parveen. After appreciating the report, the learned trial Court issued summons to the respondents on 27.01.2010.
9. Aggrieved over the same, the respondents 1 and 2 filed the quash petition in Crl.O.P.No.20192 of 2010 before this Hon’ble Court to quash the proceedings in M.C.No.1 of 2010.
10. The learned counsel for the Petitioners submits that the respondent filed the report without conducting enquiry as prescribed in the Domestic Violence Act 2005.
11. The learned counsel for the Petitioners submits that the pending M.C.No.31 of 2009 on the file of learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Vellore, the Complainant depositions are contradictory to her complaint.
12. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the Court below ought to have seen that the Respondent here in and the Petitioner in lower Court refused to live with the petitioner and the petitioner herein sent so many letters inviting the respondent to join with the petitioner and sent Thalaknama to the respondent herein and as per the Muslim Law the marriage between the petitioner and the respondent was validly dissolved.
13. The learned counsel for the pe
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