JUDGEMENT
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(1.) THIS Criminal Misc. Petition
No. 786 of 2011 under section 482, Cr.P.C.
against the order dated 25.1.2011 of Special
Court Women Atrocities and Dowry Cases,
Kota and quashing the proceedings pending
before the ACJM No.4 in case No. 04/08
wherein the same relief has been sought by
the non petitioners by way of application under sections 12, 22, 23, 23(2) of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 whereas the application for interim
maintenance under section 125. Cr. P.C. has
already been decided by the Family court
vide order dated 9.5.2008.
(2.) BRIEF facts of this criminal misc. petition are that the petitioner got married to the respondent No.1 on 13.5.2004 as per the is lamic shariat, known as 'Nikah". After consuming the marriage they lived together happily. A child was born out of their wedlock.
But the relations between them could not be
maintained for long and began quarreling
after two years. The wife of the petitioner
began to stay at her father's house without
any leason, when all efforts had failed to
mainimum the relation between spouses. Eventually the petitioner had to file a suit for res-
titutioi of conjugal rights before the family
court. After filing of the application for restitution of conjugal rights in family court
Kota and when the notices were issued to
the respondent she filed a complaint under
section 156(3), Cr. P.C. for the offence under sections 498 A and 406, IPC on 27.9.2006
wherein all family members of the petitioner
have been implicated. The respondent No.l
filed an application under section 125, Cr.
P.C. for maintenance in Family Court Kota.
After hearing both the parties, the Family
court awarded Rs. 500/- per month for the
child per month and in respect of the respondent No.l her prayer was rejected vide order
dated 9.5.2008. Thereafter the respondents
filed application for interim maintenance
under section 12 of the Protection of Women
from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 before the
court of Judicial Magistrate No.4 Kota. The
petitioner submitted reply to this application.
Hearing both the parties the court passed an
order dated 17.4.2008 wherein the application for interim maintenance was rejected.
The respondent No.l filed revision petition
before the Sessions Judge Kota, who transferred the same to the court of Special Court
Women Atrocities and Dowry Cases, Kota.
The court after considering the facts and circumstances of the case vide order dated
25.1.2011 directed the petitioner to pay interim maintenance in the amount of Rs. 2000/- per month to the respondent from the date of filing of the application. Aggrieved
by the order dated 25.1.2011 the petitioner
filed the above criminal misc. petition for
quashing the order of interim maintenance
to the respondent No.1.
Mr. K.A. Khan, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner has argued that the divorced Muslim lady cannot claim for monthly maintenance continuously and for
indefinite period of time even after Iddat
period under section 125, Cr. P.C. If the divorced Muslim lady unable to maintain herself, she can claim under section 3 of the
Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on
Divorce) Act, 1986 during Iddat period and
under section 4 of the Act a divorce muslim
lady is entitled for maintenance after Iddat
period. The Muslim lady has been given option to be governed by the provisions of
sections 125 to 128, Cr. P.C. under the Muslim
Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce)
Act. The learned counsel for the petitioner
has contended that although the option was
given in the Family Court but the order dated
9.5.2008 was passed according to Muslim law, hence the petitioner has not raised any
objection against this order. The learned
counsel has further contended that two remedies cannot be exercised at a time for the
same relief. Despite passing of the order by
the Family Court granting maintenance to the
child, the respondent No. 1 also avail the remedy of filing application under Section 12 of
the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005. The Judicial Magistrate rejected the application but on a revision petition filed by the respondent the revisional
court allowed interim maintenance Rs. 2,000/-
per month to the respondent No.1 from the
date of filing of the application. The learned
counsel has further argued that this order is
liable to be set aside in the facts and circumstances of the case.
(3.) MR . Pradeep Shrimal, Public Prosecutor for the State and Mr. A.K. Khan, learned counsel appearing for the non-petitioners
have categorically opposed the arguments of
the learned counsel for the petitioner. They
have stated that the revisional court after
considering the material and the decisions
relied on by the parties, rightly allowed the
application for interim maintenance granting
maintenance in the amount of Rs. 2,000/- per
month from the date of application.;
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