IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
Subodh Abhyankar, J.
Divya Malpani (Smt.) v. Shri Saurabh Malpani
Miscellaneous Petition No. 3546 of 2022 (Indore);
Decided on 28.10.2022
(1) Civil P. C., 1908 -- O. 39 Rr. 1 & 3 r/w S. 151 -- Family Courts Act, 1984 -- S. 7 -- anti-suit injunction -- application dismissed on ground that no further proceeding is pending at Court in Canada hence no injunction can be granted -- held -- order regarding return of child to Canada by Court in Canada is final order so far as it relates to return of child -- certain other directions issued regarding custody and welfare of child are interim in nature -- such interim directions would not encapsulate earlier order which is final in nature -- Family Court’s refusal of application for grant of anti-suit injunction cannot be faulted with -- proceedings in Canadian Court have already ended, anti-suit injunction cannot be granted -- liberty reserved to petitioner/wife that if execution proceedings are initiated by respondent/husband in Court in India, she shall be entitled to resist execution proceedings on ground that decree is not executable in India -- direction issued to all Courts in Madhya Pradesh that whenever such anti-suit injunction applications are filed, efforts should be made to pass ad interim order on same, if prayed for, as expeditiously as possible, preferably within three days. (2018) 17 SCC 21 followed. (2003) 4 SCC 341, MANU/DE/2370/2022, (2021) 2 SCC 775, 2021 SCC Online Ker. 1970, 2019 (3) MhLJ 885, 2015 (2) MhLJ 821, (1991) 3 SCC 451, MANU/SC/0551/2018, 2003 (67) DRJ 58 and 2015 SCC Online Del. 7484 distinguished. (1975) 1 SCC 120, (2003) 4 SCC 341, (2018) 17 SCC 12, AIR 2020 SC 577 and AIR Online 2021 Bom. 3108 referred to. [Paras 10, 11, 14 & 17
(2) Family Court --anti-suit injunction --direction issued to all Courts in Madhya Pradesh that whenever such anti-suit injunction applications are filed, efforts should be made to pass ad interim order on same, if prayed for, as expeditiously as possible, preferably within three days. [Para 17
¼1½ flfoy izfØ;k lafgrk] 1908 && vk-39 fu- 1 ,oa 3 lgifBr /kkjk 151 && dqVqac U;k;ky; vf/kfu;e] 1984 && /kkjk 7 && okn&fojks/kh O;kns'k && vkosnu bl vk/kkj ij [kkfjt fd dukMk ds U;k;ky; esa vkxs dksbZ dk;Zokgh yafcr ugha blfy, O;kns'k iznku ugha fd;k tk ldrk && vfHkfu/kkZfjr && viR; dks dukMk ykSVkus ds ckjs esa dukMk ds U;k;ky; dk vkns'k] tgk¡ rd og viR; dks ykSVkus ls lacaf/kr gS] vafre vkns'k gS && viR; dh vfHkj{kk vkSj dY;k.k ds ckjs esa tkjh fd, x, vU; dfri; funs'k varfje izÑfr ds gSa && ;g varfje vkns'k ,sls iwoZrj vkns'k dks laiqfVr ugha djsaxs tks vafre izÑfr dk gS && dqVaaqc U;k;ky; }kjk okn&fojks/kh O;kns'k ds iznku ds y, vkosnu dh ukeatwjh esa xyrh ugha fudkyh tk ldrh && dukMk ds U;k;ky; esa dk;Zokgh igys gh lekIr gks xbZ gS] okn&fojks/kh O;kns'k iznku ugha fd;k tk ldrk && ;kph@iRuh dh Lora=rk vkjf{kr fd ;fn izR;FkhZ@ifr }kjk Hkkjr ds U;k;ky; esa fu"iknu dk;Zokgh vkjaHk dh tkrh gS rks og fu"iknu dk;Zokgh dk bl vk/kkj ij fojks/k djus dh gdnkj gksxh fd fMØh Hkkjr esa fu"ik| ugha && e/; izns'k ds leLr U;k;ky;ksa dks funs'k tkjh fd tc Hkh ,sls okn&fojks/kh O;kns'k vkosnu izLrqr fd, tk,¡ rks mu ij] izkfFkZr gks rks] ;FkklaHko 'kh?kz] vf/kekur% rhu fnol ds Hkhrj] varfje ikfjr djus dh ps"Vk dh tkuk pkfg,A ¼2018½17 ,l lh lh 21 vuqlfjrA ¼2003½ 4 ,l lh lh 341] euq@MhbZ@2370@2022] ¼2021½2 ,l lh lh 775] 2021 ,l lh lh vkWuykbu dsjy 1970] 2019 ¼3½ ,e,p ,y ts 885] 2015¼2½ ,e,p ,y ts 821] ¼1991½3 ,l lh lh 451] euq@,llh@0551@2018] 2003 ¼67½ Mh vkj ts 58 rFkk 2015 ,l lh lh vkWuykbu fnYyh 7484 izHksfnrA ¼1975½1 ,l lh lh 120] ¼2003½4 ,l lh lh 341] ¼2018½17 ,l lh lh 12] , vkb vkj 2020 ,l lh 577 rFkk , vkb vkj vkWuykbu 2021 cacbZ 3108 fufnZ"VA ¼iSjk 10] 11] 14 ,oa 17
¼2½ dqVqac U;k;ky; && okn&fojks/kh O;kns'k && e/;izns'k ds leLr U;k;ky;ksa dks funs'k tkjh fd tc Hkh ,sls okn&fojks/kh O;kns'k vkosnu izLrqr fd, tk,¡ rks mu ij] izkfFkZr gks rks] ;FkklaHko 'kh?kz] vf/kekur% rhu fnol ds Hkhrj] varfje vkns'k ikfjr djus dh ps"Vk dh tkuk pkfg,A ¼iSjk 17
ORDER
Heard.
1. This petition has been filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India by the petitioner/plaintiff/wife against the order dated 4.8.2022 passed in HMA Case No.1335 of 2022 by First Additional Principal Judge, Family Court, Indore whereby the application filed by the petitioner under Order 39 rule 1 & 3 read with section 151 of C.P.C. and section 7 of the Family Courts Act, 1984 has been dismissed.
2. Shorn of details, the brief facts of the case are that the petitioner-wife and the respondent-husband got married as per Hindu rites at Lonavala, Maharashtra on 18.1.2014. Out of this wedlock their daughter Miraya was born in Chicago U.S.A., and as such is a U.S. citizen and also holds permanent residency card of Canada and O.C.I. card of India as in the year 2018, the petitioner and her daughter Miraya and respondent became permanent residents of Canada. As as it transpired, a matrimonial discord took place between the parties from 25.10.2021 to January, 2022 and subsequently on 27.1.2022, the petitioner and her daughter Miraya left Canada for India, and since then they are living with petitioner’s parents in Indore. The parents of the petitioner and the respondent also tried patch up their differences in their presence at Indore, however, the parents of the respondent suggested that they should take divorce and as the things did not turn out as expected, on 6.4.2022, the respondent returned back to Toronto, Canada. On 18.4.2022, the petitioner enrolled her daughter Miraya in Delhi Public School, Indore on which date she also sent an email to the respondent husband asking for separation. On 27.4.2022 a response was made by the respondent and on 20.5.2022, the respondent commenced proceedings for divorce in Canada and also sought interim/permanent custody of Miraya, the notice of which was also served on the petitioner.
3. On 20.6.2022, the petitioner filed a divorce petition under section 13(ia) and section (iii) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 and also filed custody application and maintenance application in the Family Court, Indore. On 21.6.2022 the petitioner was also served with a notice from Canadian Court informing that the hearing was fixed on 23.6.2022 at 10:00 AM relating to Miraya’s habitual residency in Canada. Soon thereafter, the respondent also filed a Writ Petition in the nature of habeas corpus i.e. W.P. No.14089 of 2022 before this Court alleging illegal detention of Miraya by her mother at Indore. On 28.6.2022 the petitioner also preferred an Anti-Suit Injunction application to restrain the respondent from continuing to prosecute the Canadian proceedings and to commence any fresh proceedings in Canadian Court against the petitioner or Miraya.
4. In the aforesaid proceedings in the Canadian Court, the mediation exercise was also carried out, but the same failed and on 13.7.2022, the Court of Ontario, the Canadian Court allowed the urgent motion and directed that Miraya be returned back to Canada within 30 days, whereas the Anti-Suit Injunction application filed by the petitioner before the Family Court at Indore was decided on 4.8.2022, after the respondent filed its reply to the application. Hence, this petition against the aforesaid order.
5. Shri A. S. Garg, learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioner assisted by Shri Upendra Kumar Choukse, Advocate has submitted that the learned Judge of the family Court has erred in dismissing the application despite holding that such an application is maintainable but holding that no further proceedings is pending at Court in Canada hence no injunction can be granted. Shri Garg has submitted that such finding is erroneous for the reason that in the Canadian Court also the order is of interim nature only directing Miraya to return back to Canada within 30 days. It is further submitted that the respondent husband has no respect for the Indian Court which is also reflected in his pleadings in the Canadian Court where disparaging remarks have been mad
The court's decision was influenced by the principles of jurisdiction, comity, and the balance of convenience, as well as the potential for conflicting decisions in multiple jurisdictions.
The main legal point established in the judgment is that the court may decline to grant an anti-suit injunction if the proceedings initiated by the respondent in a foreign jurisdiction are not vexati....
The Family Court's discretion to allow legal representation is conditional upon compliance with prior court orders regarding child custody.
Legal representation in Family Court is not an entitlement; it requires compliance with court orders, particularly regarding child custody matters.
The main legal point established in the judgment is that the grant of an anti-suit injunction is governed by the intention of the parties, the jurisdiction of the Foreign Court, and the principles of....
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