IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
Surendra Singh-I, J.
Matapher - Revisionist
Versus
State of U.P. and Another – Opposite Parties
Criminal Revision No. - 3032 of 2023
Decided On : 04-04-2024
Maintenance - Family Law - 125 Cr.P.C., 127 Cr.P.C. - 125 Cr.P.C., 127 Cr.P.C. - Summary of Acts and Sections: Section 125 of Cr.P.C. was conceived to ameliorate the agony, anguish and financial suffering of a woman who is required to leave the matrimonial home, so that some suitable arrangements could be made to enable her to sustain herself and the children. It is a social legislation enacted for protecting the wife, minor children and parents of a person from vagrancy and destitution. The purpose of Section 125 Cr.P.C. is to prevent vagrancy and destitution, and provide a speedy remedy for the supply of food, clothing, and shelter to the deserted wife and children. The dominant purpose behind the benevolent provisions contained in Section 125 is that the wife, child and parents should not be left in a helpless state of distress, destitution and starvation.
Fact of the Case:
The revisionist challenged the impugned orders dated 10.12.2019 and 07.12.2022 passed by the Family Court, Allahabad in Maintenance Case No. 506 of 2015 and Misc. Case No. 02 of 2020, filed under Section 125 Cr.P.C. and Section 127 Cr.P.C. The revisionist argued that the opposite party was not his legally wedded wife and her children were not his, and that the court's orders were based on surmises and conjectures. The opposite party claimed that the trial court passed the orders based on evidence and statutory provisions.
Finding of the Court:
The trial court considered the evidence and concluded that the opposite party was the legally wedded wife of the revisionist. The court also considered the quantum of maintenance and found that the maintenance allowance granted was not excessive vis-a-vis the monthly pension of the revisionist. The court dismissed the criminal revision and upheld the maintenance allowance of Rs.7,000 per month to the opposite party.
Issues: The issues revolved around the legal status of the marriage, paternity of the children, and the quantum of maintenance allowance.
Ratio Decidendi: The court applied Section 125 of Cr.P.C. to protect the wife, minor children, and parents from destitution, and to provide a speedy remedy for their maintenance. The court also considered the quantum of maintenance in relation to the husband's income, following the legal principles established in previous judgments.
Final Decision: The criminal revision was dismissed, and the maintenance allowance of Rs.7,000 per month to the opposite party was upheld.
JUDGMENT :
Heard Sri Praveen Kumar Tripathi, learned counsel for the revisionist and Sri Pankaj Dwivedi, learned counsel for the opposite party no. 2.
2. By means of this criminal revision, the revisionist has challenged the impugned order dated 10.12.2019 passed by learned Additional Principal Judge, IIIrd, Family Court, Allahabad in Maintenance Case No. 506 of 2015, Smt. Durga Devi Vs. Matapher filed u/s 125 Cr.P.C. and impugned judgement and order dated 07.12.2022 passed by learned Additional Principal Judge, Family Court-2, Allahabad in Misc. Case No. 02 of 2020 (Matapher Vs. Durga Devi) instituted u/s 127 Cr.P.C.
3. By the impugned judgement and order dated 10.12.2019, the Additional Principal Judge, IIIrd, Family Court, Allahabad had allowed the application filed u/s 125 Cr.P.C. and granted maintenance of Rs.7,000/-per month to opposite party no. 2, Smt. Durga Devi.
4. By the impugned judgement and order dated 07.12.2022, the Additional Principal Judge, Family Court-2, Allahabad, had rejected application u/s 127 Cr.P.C. filed by the revisionist, Matapher.
5. Averment has been made by learned counsel for the revisionist that in the trial court, arguments were made on behalf of the revisionist that opposite party no. 2, Smt. Durga Devi was not his legally wedded wife and her both children, namely, Akansha and Alok were not his children. He had requested the trial court for DNA test but the trial court did not pass any order on his application for DNA test. It has also been submitted that the trial court without application of judicial mind to the facts and circumstances of the case and the evidence on record, passed the impugned order dated 10.12.2019 and 07.12.2022 and allowed the application of opposite party no. 2 u/s 125 Cr.P.C. and rejected the application u/s 127 Cr.P.C. filed by the revisionist respectively. The aforesaid orders were illegally passed by the court against the provisions of law merely based on surmises and conjectures. Therefore, they are liable to be set-aside. It has also been submitted that revisionist’s marriage was not solemnized with the opposite party no. 2, Smt. Durga Devi and the children of opposite party no. 2 are not born out of their wedlock. It has also been submitted that opposite party no. 2, Smt. Durga Devi is cultivating his farm and taking the income arising out of selling of crops. Her son has also been settled and her daughter has been married. Therefore, the trial court has provided maintenance allowance to the opposite party no. 2 without any justification. It has also been submitted that the revisionist left his village for his education in his childhood. After completing education, he came into government service and solemnized his marriage with Gayatri Devi. Two sons, namely, Saurav Pathak and Ashutosh Pathak were born out of their wedlock. In the year 2013, he retired from the government job. Since then he is residing in Allahabad along with his wife and children. His brother, Vansh Raj kept opposite party no. 2, Smt. Durga Devi and is residing in the village with her. In the year 2013, his son Saurav Pathak died. On that occasion, his brother Vansh Raj visited his house. He threatened the revisionist not to move towards the agricultural land otherwise he will face dire consequences. It has also been submitted that on 03.11.2016, opposite party no. 2, Smt. Durga Devi lodged Case Crime No. 797 of 2016 u/s 420, 467, 468, 469, 471 I.P.C. in Police Station-Dhoomanganj, District-Allahabad, against the revisionist in collusion with his brother, Vansh Raj. She has also filed complaint case on 17.12.2015 u/s 12 of the Domestic Violence Act against him. His brother, Vansh Raj has illegally occupied the share of the revisionist in his parental agricultural land. It has also been submitted that the revisionist filed objection against the application u/s 125 Cr.P.C. and produced his oral and documentary evidence. He had filed application u/s 127 Cr.P.C. for alteration of maintenance allowanc
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The main legal point established in the judgment is the husband's obligation to maintain his wife under Section 125 Cr.P.C. to prevent destitution and vagrancy.
The obligation of a husband to maintain his wife and children is not negated by claims of financial constraints, and maintenance laws are enacted for social justice to prevent dependents from falling....
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Wife entitled to maintenance under Section 125 CrPC where husband fails to prove adultery or unjust refusal to cohabit; award upheld based on evidence of husband's business/land income contra labour ....
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The court affirmed that maintenance must be provided to a destitute spouse, emphasizing the husband's financial obligation and the summary nature of maintenance proceedings.
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