Full Order Text
Interim Order 1 · 12 Jun 2024 · CNR MHMM180082332022
Order Details: Copy of Interim Maintenance Order Pdf Text: C. C. NO.154/DV/2022 Riddhima V/s. Boniface ORDER BELOW INTERIM APPLICATION (EXH.-3) The applicant has filed the present application under section 23 of the Protection of Woman from the Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (here-in-after referred as, 'the PWDV Act') for maintenance order, protection order, residence order against the respondent. According to the applicant, she married with respondent No.1 on 26/12/2005 and from the said wedlock they have two children Master Bryan age about 14 years and Brad age about 8 years and at present children are staying with the applicant. It is contended that, after marriage she started with reside with the respondent in matrimonial home. She had taken care of old age mother of the respondent. It is contended that, in the month of February, 2007 her sister-in-laws harassed and tortured her, therefore, she left matrimonial home and started to reside in her parental home. The respondent also resides with her in her parental home until December 2021. 2. Father-in-law of applicant purchased the flat in Nehru Nagar in the year 2001 for applicant and respondent. As per demand of respondent the applicant had given I2,00,000/- to respondent. Latter on the respondent sold out the said flat and purchased new flat in his name in Safron Residency. It is contended that, for purchasing the said flat the respondent has used the amount of applicant. It is contended that, respondent never took the applicant on any picnic by saying that she has to take care of children. He used to humiliate the applicant that, she is of old fashioned lady and narrow minded. 3. Since November 2021 the respondent totally changed his behaviour. After returning from Goa on 10/12/2021 the respondent pressurized her for separation. Applicant came across that the respondent -- 1 of 8 -- ~2~ C. C. NO. 154/DV/2022 ORDER BELOW APPLICATION (Exh.-3) is having extra marital relationship with one lady. It is contended that, the respondent left the company of applicant and started to reside with the said lady. The respondent has not given the proper maintenance to applicant and her children. The applicant was forced to leave her parental home and respondent is also not taking any care of applicant and children. Thus, the respondent left them. On 18/04/2022 the respondent raised quarrel in his office and forced her to remove the bag out of the office, when she went to reside at office of respondent. It is contended that, due to cruelty and harassment the applicant has filed the complaint in Vakola police station and upon the said information Vakola police registered C. R.193/2022 under section 498 (a) of I.P.C. 4. Respondent is businessman and carrying business in the name and style B. F. Design and earning of I.2,50,000/- p.m. He is also engaged in the business of organizing events like birthday, etc. and getting income of I.25,000/- p.m. The applicant is Assistant Teacher and getting income of I.40,000/- p.m. but she is having responsibility of her growing children and responsibility to pay EMI of the flat loan to the tune of I.20,000/- p.m. Therefore, she claimed maintenance of I.1,00,000/- p.m. from respondent. She also claimed that, the respondent be restrained from committing any domestic violence and also sought relief of residence order. 5. The respondent by filing reply at (Exh.-5) denied all allegations made by applicant. The respondent admits the relationship with the applicant. According to him he is engaged in business of industrial designing and getting income to the tune of I.20,000/- p.m. He also engaged in the organizing events and getting income to the tune of I.12,000/- p.m. He is not having stable income. It is contended that, the applicant is Teacher by professing and drawing monthly salary of I.45,000/- p.m. Therefore, she is not entitled for any maintenance -- 2 of 8 -- ~3~ C. C. NO. 154/DV/2022 ORDER BELOW APPLICATION (Exh.-3) amount. It is contended that, the applicant at present residing at Safron Residency, Kurla (E). The respondent denied all the allegations regarding his extra marital affairs. He denied that, he caused any kind of domestic violence to the applicant, as alleged. Lastly, it is contended that, the application is false one and prayed that the applicant be rejected. 6. I have heard elaborated arguments of Ld. Advocate Shri M. A. Khan for the applicant and Ld. Advocate Shri A. S. Patel for the respondent. I have also considered the written notes of arguments which is at (Exh.-14). The applicant and respondent have filed their affidavits of Assets and Liabilities at (Exh.-10) and (Exh.-13) respectively. The applicant also filed on record Marriage Certificate, Photo, Birth Certificate of Children, Copy of complaint, Copy of F.I.R. and Copies of WhatApp and Instagram images. The respondent has also placed on record copies of Service Certificate alongwith affidavit of Assets and Liabilities. 7. Considering the rival pleadings of both parties following points are arises for my determination. I have recorded my findings thereon for the reasons, as under :- Sr. No. Points Findings 1. Does the applicant proved that, she has been subjected the domestic violence at the hands of the respondent ? Yes. 2. Is applicant entitled for relief of protection order, as prayed ? Partly Yes. 3. Is applicant entitled for relief of maintenance, as prayed? Yes. -- 3 of 8 -- ~4~ C. C. NO. 154/DV/2022 ORDER BELOW APPLICATION (Exh.-3) 4. Is applicant entitled for relief of alternate accommodation as, prayed or rent in lieu of alternate accommodation ? No. 5. What order? Application is partly allowed. REASONS As to point No.1 8. In order to get relief under section 23 of the Domestic Violence Act the applicant has to prove prima-faciely that, she has been subjected the domestic violence at the hands of the respondent. The respondent denied all the allegations made by the applicant. It is to be noted that, the relationship between parties are admitted to each other. The applicant in order to prove the domestic violence at the hands of respondent relied on the complaint made to police dated 08/06/2022 and the F.I.R. registered by Vakola police station at C. R. No.193/2022 under section 497 (a) of I.P.C. etc. 9. It is the main allegation against the respondent is that, he fallen in the love of one lady and he demanded divorce from the applicant. Thus, in short respondent did not allow the company of applicant and he left her and his children. The respondent denied all the allegations made against him but not filed any documents in support of his defence. The complaint and F.I.R. disclosed that, after marriage particularly after December 2021 the respondent changed his behaviour and used to say that the applicant is not giving sufficient time to him. Therefore, he fallen in love with lady by name Suzan. The respondent left the company of the applicant and started to reside with said Suzan. He also used to give threat -- 4 of 8 -- ~5~ C. C. NO. 154/DV/2022 ORDER BELOW APPLICATION (Exh.-3) on the ground that, she shall handover the documents of newly purchased flats and gold ornaments. He has neglected to maintain applicant and children. The contention of F.I.R. and the complaint are corroborative to the contention of present petition. 10. Per contra, no positive defence has been putforth by the respondent. It appears that, the respondent is denying the marital status of applicant with him and causing harassment to applicant for separation, which certainly would fall under the definition of domestic violence. Further, non providing sufficient means of maintenance to applicant is also nothing but the instances of the domestic violence at the hands of the respondent. Therefore, I hold that, the has proved prima-faciely that, she has been subjected the domestic violence at the hands of respondent. Hence, I record my findings to the point No.1 as in the affirmative. As to point No.2 11. This issue is in respect of the protection order. The applicant has sought relief restraining the respondent from committing any kind of the domestic violence. It is to be noted that, while answering to point No.1 I have concluded that, applicant has been subjected the domestic violence at the hands of respondent. The applicant is having apprehension in her mind that, the respondent will cause her domestic violence in future. The F.I.R. registered at the instance of applicant shows that, she has been subjected the domestic violence at the hands of respondent, on the count of demand of divorce. Therefore, in order to protect the interest of applicant, I am of opinion that, the protection order against respondent can be passed. Hence, I record my findings to point No.2, as in the partly affirmative. As to point No.3 12. This issue is in respect of relief of maintenance. It is to be -- 5 of 8 -- ~6~ C. C. NO. 154/DV/2022 ORDER BELOW APPLICATION (Exh.-3) noted that, applicant claimed to be having no sufficient source of income and the respondent is having smart income to the tune of I.2,50,000/- p.m. I have gone through the respective affidavits of Assets and Liabilities of the applicant and respondent. It is crystal clear that, applicant is working as Assistant Teacher and getting salary to the tune of I.40,000/- p.m. But respondent in his Assets and Liabilities contended that, he is having job and getting income of I.20,000/- p.m. and in the reply he admitted that, from organizing events he is getting income to the tune of I.12,000/- p.m. Though applicant contended that, the respondent by his business getting income to the tune of I.2,50,000/- p.m. but in support of her contention she has not filed any documents on record. Therefore, in order to ascertain actual income source of both the parties I have to rely upon the affidavits of Assets and Liabilities of the parties. It is seen from the affidavits that, applicant is having more income than the respondent as mentioned in the affidavit of the respondent. It is to be noted that, the growing children are with the applicant. Therefore, merely on the ground that, the applicant has more income than the respondent, the respondent cannot escape from maintaining his children. 13. In such circumstances, I am of opinion that, the applicant and the respondent have equal responsibility to maintain and brought up their children. From the affidavit of respondent it is seen that, at present he is getting income from his job and business of event organizing to the tune of I.35,000/- p.m. After deducting his expenses, for the maintenance of his children, maintenance order can be order in favour of applicant. Considering the basic needs of applicant and children and financial position of both the parties I am of opinion that, the applicant is entitled I.12,000/- p.m. from respondent for maintenance of children. Hence, I record my findings to the point No.3, as in affirmative. As to point No.4 -- 6 of 8 -- ~7~ C. C. NO. 154/DV/2022 ORDER BELOW APPLICATION (Exh.-3) 14. The applicant has sought relief that, the respondent be restraining or disposing flat No.4 at Safron Residency, as it is her shared household and also sought relief of alternate accommodation at the same level from the respondent. It is to be noted that, in the application itself the applicant contended that, due to harassment caused by the sister-in- laws she and respondent started to reside in her parental home and after 2021 the respondent left the company of applicant and his children. The complaint itself shows that, at present the applicant is residing with her children at Kapadiya Nagar, CST Road, Kurla. Therefore, at present it cannot be said that, she is shelterless. Even there is no contention by applicant that, the respondent is trying to dispose of the flat situated at Safron Residency. Therefore, no residence order as sought can be passed in favour of applicant. Hence, I record my findings to the point No.4, as in negative and proceed to pass following order. ORDER 1 The application is partly allowed. 2 The respondent shall pay R.12,000/- p.m. to applicant as a interim maintenance amount of children from date of filing of the present application. 3 The respondent shall not cause any kind of domestic violence to applicant till final decision of the proceeding. 4 The respondent shall pay the cost of R.7,000/- of the present application to the applicant. -- 7 of 8 -- ~8~ C. C. NO. 154/DV/2022 ORDER BELOW APPLICATION (Exh.-3) 5 Copy of this order be supplied free of cost to both the parties. Mumbai. Date : 12/06/2024. SRD. Sd/- Metropolitan Magistrate, 71st Court, Bandra, Mumbai. Dictated on :- 12/06/2024. Transcribed on :- 12/06/2024. Checked on :- 12/06/2024. Signed on :- 12/06/2024. SRD -- 8 of 8 --
