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1998 DIGILAW 489 (MP)

HAMIDA BI v. MUBARIQ

1998-07-15

S.B.SAKRIKAR

body1998
S. B. SAKRIKAR, J. ( 1 ) THE applicant has directed this petition under Section 482, Cr. P. C. for quashing the order, dated 16-2-1996 passed by II Additional Sessions Judge, Khargone in Criminal Revision No. 128/1994 whereby the Additional Sessions Judge allowed the revision filed by the non-applicant and set aside the order for maintenance passed by the Magistrate under Section 125, Cr. P. C. in favour of the applicant. ( 2 ) BRIEFLY stated, that facts of the case are that applicant Hamida Bi filed the application in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Khargone under Section 125, Cr. P. C. for grant of maintenance allowance. The said application was opposed on behalf of the non-applicant. The Chief Judicial Magistrate allowed the petition filed by the applicant and awarded maintenance at the rate of 250/- per month from the date of the order e. g. , 24-6-1994 against the non-applicant. Aggrieved by the said order the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Khargone the applicant and the non-applicant have filed separate revision in the Court of II Additional Sessions Judge, Khargone. The applicant prayed for enhancement of the maintenance allowance whereas the, non-applicant prayed for setting aside the order of maintenance passed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate. The Additional Sessions Judge by a common order dismissed the revision filed by the applicant for enhancement but allowed the revision of the non-applicant and set aside the order of the Chief Judicial Magistrate awarding the maintenance in favour of the applicant Aggrieved the applicant has filed this petition for quashing the order of the Additional Sessions Judge passed in Revision No. 128/1994 setting the order of the maintenance passed in favour of the applicant. ( 3 ) I have heard Mr. Mev for the applicant and Mr. T. N. Singh for the non-applicant. The Counsel for the applicant pointed out that revision filed by the non-applicant was allowed and the order of maintenance was set aside only on the ground that the applicant without any reasonable cause deserted the, husband and started living separately. The Sessions Judge held that as the parties are Muslims the applicant is not entitled to live separately on the ground that the non-applicant, her husband contracted second marriage, as the Mohammedan permits second marriage. The Sessions Judge held that as the parties are Muslims the applicant is not entitled to live separately on the ground that the non-applicant, her husband contracted second marriage, as the Mohammedan permits second marriage. The contention of the Counsel for the applicant is that irrespective of the personal law applicable to the parties, the wife is entitled to live separately and claim maintenance under Section 125, Cr. P. C. if the husband contracts second marriage or keeps a mistress. The order of the Sessions Judge setting-aside the maintenance causing hardship and an interference of this Court to prevent abuse of process of court and to secure ends of justice, appears necessary. The Counsel relied on the decision of the. Apex Court in case of Begum Subanu Saira Banu and Another v. A. M. Abdul Gafoor. The contention of the Counsel for the applicant is that from the evidence it is clear that initially without any reasonable cause, the applicant deserted her husband and started living separately and on making efforts did not return to her matrimonial home. In the circumstances, he was forced for the second marriage. The Counsel supported the order of the Revisional Court setting aside the order of maintenance passed in favour of the applicant. ( 4 ) CONSIDERING the submissions of the Counsel for the parties and perusing the impugned order at also the record. In my considered opinion, the findings of Revisional Court that in Muslims first wife is not entitled to live separately and claim maintenance if her husband contracts, a second marriage, as the second marriage is permissible under Mohmmaden Law is contrary to law. In similar facts and circumstances, the Apex Court in case of Begum Subanu Saira Bdnu and Another (supra) while considering Section 125 (3) and Explanation, has held as under: A right has been conferred on the wife under the Explanation to live separately and claim maintenance from the husband if he breaks his vows of fidelity and marries another woman or takes a mistress. It matters not whether the woman chosen by the husband to replace the wife is a legally married wife or a mistress. Therefore, it cannot be said that his taking another wife will not entitle the wife to claim separate residence and maintenance. It matters not whether the woman chosen by the husband to replace the wife is a legally married wife or a mistress. Therefore, it cannot be said that his taking another wife will not entitle the wife to claim separate residence and maintenance. The Explanation is of uniform application to all wives including Muslim wives whose husband have either married another wife or taken mistress. In this connection any offer to take the first wife back cannot be considered to be a bona fide offer unless the husband offers to set up a separate residence for her, for a husband who marries again cannot compel the first wife to share the conjugal home with the co-wife. ( 5 ) HON. Bombay High Court in case of Mustafa Shamsuddin Shaikh v. Shamshad Begum Mustafa Shaikh and Another has held as under: In the proceedings under Section 125 of the Code, it is not necessary for the Court to ascertain as to who was in the wrong and whether the wife was guilty of leaving the matrimonial house without any reason. Even assuming that the wife is in the wrong while leaving the house she cannot be deprived of maintenance when husband contracts second marriage and that fact by itself entitles her to live separately. T ( 6 ) IN view of the facts of the case on hand and the law applicable in my considered opinion the Additional Sessions Judge has committed a mistake in setting aside the order of maintenance passed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate in favour of the applicant and allowing the Criminal Revision No. 128/1994 filed by the non-applicant/husband. ( 7 ) REFUSING to award maintenance to the first wife living separately due to second marriage of the husband undisputedly itself causes hardship to the said wife and in the circumstances, to secure ends of justice or to prevent abuse of process of Court an interference of this Court in exercise of powers under Section 482, Cr. P. C. appears necessary. The impugned order of the ASJ, Khargone setting aside the order of maintenance passed in favour of the applicant being contrary to law deserves to be quashed. ( 8 ) IN the result this petition is allowed and the impugned order of ASJ. Khargone passed in Cr. Revision No. 128/ 1994 setting aside the order of maintenance passed by the CJM. ( 8 ) IN the result this petition is allowed and the impugned order of ASJ. Khargone passed in Cr. Revision No. 128/ 1994 setting aside the order of maintenance passed by the CJM. Khargone in favour of the applicant is accordingly quashed. No. orders as to costs. Petition allowed. .