S.Lalitha v. M.Varnayadevi@ Varuniyadevi
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 31.07.2020
CORAM:
THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE G.K.ILANTHIRAIYAN Crl.O.P.No.3811 of 2020 and Crl.M.P.Nos.2215 & 2217 of 2020
1. S.Lalitha, W/o.P.G.Sivasubramaniayam, Ponnavaram Taluk, Dharapuram Taluk, Tiruppur District.
2. P.G.Sivasubramaniayam, S/o.Govindasamy Gounder, Ponnavaram Taluk, Dharapuram Taluk, Tiruppur District.
3. Vivek Kiruba Shankar, S/o.Rajagopal, Ponnavaram Taluk, Dharapuram Taluk, Tiruppur District.
... Petitioners Vs.
M.Varnayadevi @ VaruniyaDevi, D/o.K.Muthusamy, Door No.13, Sakthi Cross, No.2, Gandhipuram, Coimbatore - 641 012.
... Respondent PRAYER: Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 of Cr.P.C, to call for the records and quash the proceedings in D.V.A.No.658 of 2019 pending on the file of the Judicial Magistrate, Special Court for Trial of Domestic Violence Act Cases, Coimbatore under the provisions of The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.
For Petitioners: Mr.C.Arun Kumar For Respondent : Mr.C.Veeraraghavan
ORDER
This Criminal Original Petition has been filed to quash the proceedings in D.V.A.No.658 of 2019, filed by the respondent herein, pending on the file of the Judicial Magistrate, Special Court for Trial of Domestic Violence Act Cases, Coimbatore.
2. The petitioners are in-laws of the respondent and the marriage between A1/P.S.Muthukumarasamy and the respondent Viz., M.Varnayadevi @ VaruniyaDevi, was solemnized on 02.06.2014. Thereafter, due to matrimonial disputes the respondent and her husband were living separately from the matrimonial home. Under this circumstance, the respondent herein filed a petition under Domestic Violence Act in D.V.A.No.658 of 2019 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate, Special Court for Trial of Domestic Violence Act Cases, Coimbatore and implicated the petitioners as parties to the petition and sought action as against them under Domestic Violence Act. The said D.V.A.No.658 of 2019 is pending for trial. At this stage, the petitioners herein who are the inlaws of the respondent pray to quash the proceedings in D.V.A.No.658 of 2019.
3. Heard Mr.C.Arun Kumar, learned counsel for the petitioners and Mr.C.Veeraraghavan, learned counsel appearing for the respondent.
4. It is seen that the relief sought for by the respondent in the domestic violence case with regard to residential rights, compensation, etc., can be made and claimed as against her husband, who is already a party in that case. The petitioners herein are only in-laws of the respondent and they are living separately. As such, the protection order sought for by the respondent herein in the domestic violence case against these petitioners/in-laws, based on the allegations, cannot be maintained, in view of the fact that the allegations of harassment meted out by the petitioners against the respondent itself seems to be false. While that being so, there cannot be any act of any domestic violence as defined under Domestic Violence Act against these petitioners. In the absence of the same, the proceedings as against these petitioners cannot be maintained and consequently, the petitioners need not undergo the ordeal of facing a criminal trial.
5. In view of the above, this Court is inclined to quash the proceedings in D.V.A.No.658 of 2019, on the file of the Judicial Magistrate, Special Court for Trial of Domestic Violence Act Cases, Coimbatore, insofar as these petitioners are concerned, on condition that, they shall ensure that the A1/husband of the respondent shall deposit a sum of Rs.5,000/- (Rupees Five Thousand only) before 5th of every English Calendar month to the credit of D.V.A.No.658 of 2019, on the file of the Judicial Magistrate, Special Court for Trial of Domestic Violence Act Cases, Coimbatore, as ad-interim maintenance, without prejudice to both the parties, failing which this order shall stand automatically cancelled. On such deposit being made, the respondent is entitled to withdraw the same.
6. Insofar as A1/husband of the respondent is concerned, since the impugned proceedings in D.V.A.No.658 of 2019 is pending from the year 2019 onwards, it would be appropriate to direct the trial Court to complete the trial within a period of six months from the date of receipt of copy of this order. A1/husband of the respondent is directed to appear before the trial Court on the next hearing date, failing which, the respondent is at liberty to approach this Court.
7. In the result, this Criminal Original Petition stands allowed. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed.
-s/d- Assistant Registrar(CS-) True Copy Sub-Assistant Registrar To The Judicial Magistrate, Special Court for Trial of Domestic Violence Act Cases, Coimbatore.
+1 cc to Mr.C.Veeraraghavan, Advocate,sr.25940. Lc(co) krd 25/8 Crl.O.P.No.3811 of 2020 and Crl.M.P.Nos.2215 & 2217 of 2020