Rajasthan High Court: Dinesh Mehta, J., dismissed the petition.
The facts of the case are such that the petitioner and the respondent, who got married on 17-02-1976, have been living separately since 1986. The instant petition was filed under Section 482 Criminal Procedure Code i.e. CrPC challenging order dated 06-01-2022, whereby the Gram Nyayalay, Aspur, District Dungarpur partly allowed the application for interim maintenance filed by the respondent (wife) and directed the petitioner to pay a sum of Rs 5,000/- per month as interim maintenance.
Counsel for the petitioner submitted that the present petition under Section 125 of CrPC that has been filed in the year 2021, is clearly an abuse of the process of law. It was further submitted that the Court has treated petitioner’s income to be Rs 1,00,000/- whereas his return of income tax shows that his income is approximately Rs 40,000/- per month.
The Court observed that an order under Section 125 of CrPC is in the nature of interim maintenance and husband, who admittedly earns Rs 40, 000/- per month cannot be absolved of his obligation to pay interim maintenance, merely because the respondent – wife has chosen to file the application after 36 years of marriage.
The Court held “This Court does not find any reason to interfere in the present petition, particularly when the petitioner has failed to point out any jurisdictional error or apparent error on the face of record and when a meagre sum of Rs.5,000/- has been ordered to be paid.”
[Chandrakant Jain v. Veermati Jain, S.B. Criminal Misc(Pet.) No. 986/2022, decided on 11-03-2022]
Appearances:
For Petitioner(s): Mr. Mohit Singhvi
For Respondent(s): Mr. Mahipal Bishnoi
