Back
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS RESERVED ON : 15.10.2022 DELIVERED ON : 17.11.2022 CORAM:
THE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE P.N. PRAKASH THE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE RMT. TEEKAA RAMAN AND THE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE A.D. JAGADISH CHANDIRA Crl.O.P. SR. Nos.31852, 28394, 29208, 29745, 32249, 32612, 32966, 33350, 33623, 33780, 33937, 34048, 34753, 35061, 35431, 35555, 35838, 35983, 36564, 36570, 36636, 36648, 36683, 36948, 36956, 37007, 37218, 37713, 37872, 37980, 38281 and 38330 of 2022 (32 cases)
Crl.O.P. SR.No.31852 of 2022
1 Arul Daniel 2 Gurupatham
3 Vasuki 4 Emimal
5 Gocheeyal Petitioners v Suganya Respondent Crl.O.P. SR.No.28394 of 2022
1 J. C. Hemachand
2 Gajalakshmi
3 Gomathi Petitioners v Sudha Respondent Crl.O.P. SR.No.29208 of 2022 Anantha Padmanabhan Petitioner v Sasikala Respondent Crl.O.P. SR.No.29745 of 2022 D. Selvaraj Petitioner v Dr. T. Yasodha Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.32249 of 2022
1 Angammal 2 Duraisamy
3 Sumathi Petitioners v Amsavalli Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.32612 of 2022
1 Sanitha Mohandas
2 K. Mohandas Petitioners v Shika Mohanan Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.32966 of 2022 1 Ananth @ E. Murugesan
2 Palaniammal
3 Ramachandran
4 Mariammal Petitioners v Vinothini Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.33350 of 2022 Renuga Petitioner v
1 Boopathi
2 A. Kamala
3 M. Arumugam
4 N. Sudha
5 A. Nagendhiran Respondents Crl.O.P. SR. No.33623 of 2022
1 R. Muniappan 2 M. Arunkumar
3 A. Narmadha Petitioners v
1 Vishalakshi
2 M. Vinoth Kumar Respondents Crl.O.P. SR. No.33780 of 2022
1 R. Vignesh
2 Shanthi
3 R. Sindupreethi
4 L. Krishnan Petitioners v R. Ranjitha Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.33937 of 2022
1 Samuel Yesupatham
2 Selvi @ Buelah
3 Freeda Petitioners v
1 Sushmita @ Hephzibah
2 Sathish Kumar @ Mosses
3 Muthallamma @ Elizabeth Respondents Crl.O.P. SR. No.34048 of 2022
1 V. Muniyandi
2 M. Shanthi Petitioners v Lakshmi Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.34753 of 2022
1 Raj Alagappan
2 A.L. Chidambaram
3 Meghallai Petitioners v Periyanayagi @ Indu Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.35061 of 2022 Sardar Petitioner v
1 T. Aruna Priyanka
2 G. Nandhakumar
3 G. Kamatchi
4 G. Gejapriya Gururaj
5 R. Gururaj Respondents Crl.O.P. SR. No.35431 of 2022 Chandra Petitioner v Malini Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.35555 of 2022
1 R. Sridevi
2 R. Santhiya
3 D. Ramesh Petitioners v N. Jhanani Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.35838 of 2022
1 K. Chelladurai
2 Angammal Petitioners v Lisi Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.35983 of 2022
1 M. Karthikeyan
2 M. Sulochana
3 M. Balasubramani
4 Dr. Nandhini Petitioners v V. Sneha Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.36564 of 2022
1 Bharath
2 Saraswathi
3 Aparna
4 Baskar Petitioners v Rajalakshmi Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.36570 of 2022
1 S. Vijaya Prabu
2 P. Selvaraj
3 S. Maheswari Petitioners v
1 Muthulakshmi 2 Minor Shivani
3 Minor Pratap
4 R. Shakeela
5 S. Ramesh
6 R. Padma Respondents (RR 2 & 3 represented by their natural guardian and mother Muthulakshmi)
Crl.O.P. SR. No.36636 of 2022
1 Ponnusamy
2 Dhanam 3 Gomathi
4 Sasi Petitioners v A. Komala Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.36648 of 2022
1 R. Subhashini
2 R. Varshini 3 Rajapandian
4 Gopi Krishnan Petitioners v
1 A. Durga @ Maszadevi
2 R. Vignesh Bala Respondents Crl.O.P. SR. No.36683 of 2022
1 R. Manikandan
2 A.L. Ramasamy Chettiyar
3 R. Sivagami Aatchi
4 Sowmiya Petitioners v M. Gayathri Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.36948 of 2022
1 Vivekanandan
2 Kuppusamy
3 Muthulakshmi
4 Vigneswaran Petitioners v Tamilpriya Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.36956 of 2022
1 D. Kathirvadivel
2 Amudhaveni
3 Ilakiya Petitioners v Kowsalyadevi Respondent Crl.O.P. SR. No.37007 of 2022
1 Sarath Chander
2 Viji @ Thirupurasundari
3 Sukumar Kannan
4 Thilagavathi Petitioners v Sarala Jagannathan Respondent Crl.O.P. No.37218 of 2022
1 Manickaraj
2 Bharaneeswari Petitioners v Jothyshyamala Respondent Crl.O.P. No.37713 of 2022 Madhan Kumar Petitioner v Sumathi Respondent Crl.O.P. No.37872 of 2022
1 Kishore Kumar
2 Jayaraj
3 Banumathy
4 Hemavathy Petitioners v Suganya Respondent Crl.O.P. No.37980 of 2022
1 S. Selvakumar
2 S. Priya
3 S. Praveena Petitioners v Srinitha Respondent Crl.O.P. No.38281 of 2022
1 Vennila
2 Deepa Petitioners v Ranjitha Respondent Crl.O.P. No.38330 of 2022
1 K. Muthu
2 Jeyanthi Petitioners v Seetha Respondent Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR.No.31852 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. seeking to quash the proceedings in D.V.C. No.74 of 2022 on the file of the Additional Mahila Court, Thiruvallur, Thiruvallur District, against the petitioners.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.28394 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. seeking to call for the records in D.V.C. No.7 of 2022 pending on the file of the District Munsif-cum-Judicial Magistrate Court, Ranipet, Ranipet District and quash the complaint dated 04.05.2022.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.29208 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. seeking to call for the records relating to the case in D.V.C No.9 of 2022 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.III, Puducherry, and to quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.29745 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. seeking to call for the complaint made by the respondent in D.V.C. No.15 of 2022 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.XVII, Saidapet, Chennai and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.32249 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to quash the proceedings in D.V.O.P. No.5 of 2021 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.II, Attur, Salem District.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.32612 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records of the complaint in D.V.C No.2 of 2022 pending on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.I, Poonamallee and quash the same as far as the petitioners are concerned.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.32966 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records relating to the case in D.V.A. No.8 of 2022 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.I, Pollachi, Coimbatore District and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.33350 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records pertaining to D.V.A. No.175 of 2021 insofar as the order dated 14.12.2021 pending on the file of the Special Court for trial of Domestic Violence Act Cases, Coimbatore and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.33623 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records and quash the proceedings as against the petitioners in D.V.A. No.167 of 2020 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate (Special Court to try cases under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act) Court, Coimbatore.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.33780 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the entire records connected in D.V.A. No.3 of 2022 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court, Madukkarai, Coimbatore District and quash the same against the petitioners.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.33937 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records in D.V.C. No.263 of 2022 pending on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.I, Mayiladuthurai and quash the same as against the petitioners.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.34048 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records in D.V.C. No.8 of 2021 dated 27.04.2020 against the petitioners on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court, Thiruvottriyur and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.34753 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records relating to the impugned proceedings made in D.V.C. No.5 of 2022 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.I, Poonamallee and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.35061 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records pertaining to D.V. No.6 of 2022 initiated under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, against the petitioner at the behest of the first respondent pending before the Additional Mahila Court, Alandur and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.35431 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the entire records pursuant to the complaint in D.V.C. No.7 of 2022 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.II, Poonamallee, Tiruvallur District and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.35555 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the entire records connected with the complaint in D.V.C. No.5 of 2022 pending on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.II, Sivakasi and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.35838 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records pertaining to the proceedings in D.V.C. No.1 of 2022 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.II, Attur and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.35983 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records in D.V.C. No.10 of 2022 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court at Arakkonam and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.36564 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records relating to D.V.C. No.4 of 2021 on the file of the District Munsif-cum- Judicial Magistrate Court at Neyveli, Cuddalore District and to quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.36570 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records in D.V.C. No.21 of 2021 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.I, Mayiladuthurai and quash the same. Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.36636 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records in D.V.C. No.2 of 2022 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.I, Tindivanam and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.36648 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the entire records pertaining to the complaint dated 04.05.2022 given under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act in D.V.C. No.51 of 2022 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.I, Puducherry and quash the same with regard to the petitioners.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.36683 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records relating to the case in D.V.A. No.201 of 2019 pending on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.III, Coimbatore and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.36948 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records in D.V. No.11 of 2022 pending on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.II, Attur and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.36956 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the entire records pertaining to the complaint in D.V.C. No.3 of 2022 on the file of the District Munsif-cum-Judicial Magistrate Court, Madathukulam and quash the same with regard to the petitioners.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.37007 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for records pertaining to the proceedings in D.V.C. No.41 of 2022 pending on the file of the IX Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Saidapet, Chennai and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.37218 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records pertaining to D.V.A. No.2 of 2021 on the file of the Principal District Munsif-cum-Judicial Magistrate Court, Gudalur, the Nilgiris and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.37713 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records in D.V.C. No.11 of 2019 on the file of the District Munsif-cum-
Magistrate Court, Sriperumbudur and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.37872 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to quash the complaint in D.V.C. No.16 of 2021 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.I, Mannargudi, Tiruvarur District.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.37980 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records in D.V.A. No.84 of 2022 on the file of the Special Court under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, Coimbatore and quash the same.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.38281 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records in D.V.C. No.2 of 2022 under Sections 18 to 20 and 22 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, pending on the file of the Additional Mahila Court, Nagapattinam and quash the same as against the petitioners.
Prayer in Crl.O.P. SR. No.38330 of 2022 Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records of the proceedings in D.V.C. No. 5 of 2016 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court, Rasipuram and quash the same as illegal and without jurisdiction.
Crl.O.P. Sr.No.31852 of 2022 : Mr. P. Chandrasekar Crl.O.P. Sr.No.28394 of 2022 : Mr. R. Balakrishnan Crl.O.P. Sr.No.29208 of 2022 : Mr. Pon Pandian Crl.O.P. Sr.No.29745 of 2022 : Mr. M.L. Ramesh Crl.O.P. Sr.No.32249 of 2022 : Mr. M. Senthilkumar Crl.O.P. Sr.No.32612 of 2022 : Mr. Adithya Varadarajan Crl.O.P. Sr.No.32966 of 2022 : Mr. V. Murugesan Crl.O.P. Sr.No.33350 of 2022 : Mr. S. Karthikei Balan Crl.O.P. Sr.No.33623 of 2022 : Ms. G.S. Thilagavathi Crl.O.P. Sr.No.33780 of 2022 : Mr. P. Saravanan Crl.O.P. Sr.No.33937 of 2022 : Mr. M. Soundar Vijay Arulram Crl.O.P. Sr.No.34048 of 2022 : Mr. D. Nandhagopal Crl.O.P. Sr.No.34753 of 2022 : Mr. K. Muthumalai Crl.O.P. Sr.No.35061 of 2022 : Mr. N. Jothi for Mr. S. Vinod Crl.O.P. Sr.No.35431 of 2022 : Mr. M. Sathish Kumar Crl.O.P. Sr.No.35555 of 2022 : Mr. M. Anandan Crl.O.P. Sr.No.35838 of 2022 : Mr. R. Dineshkumar Crl.O.P. Sr.No.35983 of 2022 : Mr. S. Udhaya Kumar Crl.O.P. Sr.No.36564 of 2022 : Mr. S. Vijayakumar Crl.O.P. Sr.No.36570 of 2022 : Ms. D. Kamachi Crl.O.P. Sr.No.36636 of 2022 : Mr. K. Thenrajan Crl.O.P. Sr.No.36648 of 2022 : Mr. B. Kumarasamy Crl.O.P. Sr.No.36683 of 2022 : Ms. S. Vennila Crl.O.P. Sr.No.36948 of 2022 : Mr. S.N. Subramani Crl.O.P. Sr.No.36956 of 2022 : Mr. B. Kumarasamy Crl.O.P. Sr.No.37007 of 2022 : Mr. L. Sivakumar Crl.O.P. Sr.No.37218 of 2022 : Mr. R. Siva Crl.O.P. Sr.No.37713 of 2022 : Mr. L. Mahendran Crl.O.P. Sr.No.37872 of 2022 : Mr. T. Shanmugam Crl.O.P. Sr.No.37980 of 2022 : Mr. K. Myilsamy Crl.O.P. Sr.No.38281 of 2022 : Mr. K. Venkateswaran Crl.O.P. Sr.No.38330 of 2022 : Mr. N. Naganathan Counsel who assisted the Court : Mr. Nithyaesh Natraj : Mr. Muniyapparaj, A.P.P.
Mr. Babu Muthu Meeran, A.P.P.
COMMON ORDER
P.N PRAKASH, J.
This Full Bench has been constituted under the orders of the Hon’ble Chief Justice on a reference made by our learned brother Justice N. Sathish Kumar vide order dated 12.08.2022 to answer the following questions:
(a) “Whether a proceeding under Section 12 of the D.V. Act can be challenged under Article 227 of the Constitution or under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. ?
(b)Whether the aforesaid remedy is available to an aggrieved person before approaching the learned Magistrate and, if necessary, the Court of Sessions by way of an appeal under Section 29 of the D.V. Act?”
2 As the order of reference is prefaced by a chequered history, it is necessary to briefly set out the manner in which these matters have come up before us:
a The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (“the D.V.Act” for short), was enacted with the avowed purpose of providing more effective protection of the rights of women, who are victims of violence of any kind, occurring within the family. Under the scheme of the said Act, an aggrieved person or a Protection Officer (PO) or any other person on behalf of the aggrieved person, may present an application before the Magistrate, under Section 12, seeking one or more reliefs under the said Act.
b As the reliefs that could be sought and granted under the said Act were civil in nature, the Registry of this Court entertained a doubt as to whether a petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C. was maintainable. One such matter came up before V. Ramasubramanian, J. (as he then was) in M. Muruganandam v M. Megala1, wherein, it was held that a petition under Article 227 of the Constitution was maintainable against a complaint instituted under Section 12 of the D.V. Act. However, even after this decision, it is common knowledge that petitions challenging proceedings under the D.V. Act under Section 482 Cr.P.C. were being filed and entertained in this Court, presumably on the ground that complaints under the D.V. Act were akin to a complaint under Chapter XV of the Cr.P.C.
c However, in Dr.P.Pathmanathan v V.Monica2, N. Anand Venkatesh, J. held that an application under the D.V. Act could not be equated
1 2011 (1) CTC 841
2 2021 1 MLJ (Cri) 311 to a complaint as defined in Section 2(d) of the Cr.P.C. This was because a complaint for grant of one or more reliefs under Section 12 of the D.V. Act did not contemplate any action in respect of an offence, but was a petition for grant of certain civil reliefs. This position was no longer res integra in view of the Supreme Court judgment in Kunapareddy v Kunapareddy Swarna Kumari3, wherein, it was held that all the reliefs granted by the Magistrate under the D.V. Act were civil in nature, and that an offence under Section 31 of the D.V. Act would be made out only if there was a breach of a protection order made under the Act.
d N. Anand Venkatesh, J. also pointed out that though the jurisdiction under the D.V.Act was conferred on a Magistrate, it did not necessarily follow that the Court of the Magistrate, exercising jurisdiction under the D.V. Act, was thereby a “Criminal Court” for the purpose of Section 6 Cr.P.C. Alluding to the decision of the Supreme Court in State of W.B. v Sujit Kumar Rana4 and of a Division Bench of this Court in Rajamanickam v State of Tamil Nadu5, N. Anand Venkatesh, J. observed that Section 482 Cr.P.C. applied only in respect of preventing abuse of process and
3 (2016) 11 SCC 774 4 (2004) 4 SCC 129
5 2015 (3) MWN (Cri) 379 securing the ends of justice in matters that were in seisin before a Criminal Court which is subordinate to the High Court. At this juncture, it may be relevant to state that the High Court has also been classified as a Criminal Court in Section 6 of the Code albeit the fact that the Madras High Court is a creature of the Letters Patent issued under the Indian High Courts Act, 1861. As the Magistrate exercising power under Section 12 of the D.V. Act was not a Criminal Court, the learned judge concluded that a petition u
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
Scan Me!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :
Back to top
