1. Rule in Criminal Revision Application No.518 of 2012. Ms.C.M.Shah, learned Additional Public Prosecutor waives service of notice of Rule on behalf of respondent No.1- State and Mr.P.P.Majmudar, learned advocate waives service of notice of Rule on behalf of respondent No.2 herein - original applicant - wife so far as Criminal Revision Application No.518 of 2012 is concerned.
Similarly Rule in Criminal Revision Application No.397 of 2012. Ms.C.M.Shah, learned Additional Public Prosecutor wavies service of notice of Rule on behalf of respondent No.1 - State and Mr.Samir Afzalkhan Pathan waives service of notice of Rule on behalf of respondent No.2 herein – original opponent- husband so far as Criminal Revision Application No.397 of 2012 is concerned.
2. In the facts and circumstances of the case and with the consent of learned advocates appearing on behalf of the respective parties and both Criminal Revision Applications are cross Revision Applications, they are taken up for final hearing today together.
3. Criminal Revision Application No.518 of 2012 has been preferred by the applicant herein - original opponent - husband to quash and set aside the impugned order dated 30/05/2012 passed by learned Family Court, Vadodara in Criminal Misc.Application No.406 of 2011, by which, learned Family Court has partly allowed the said application preferred by the respondent herein - original applicant - wife and has directed the applicant herein - original opponent - husband to pay Rs.2,000/- per month to the original applicant - wife towards maintenance u/s.125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Criminal Revision Application No.397 of 2012 has been preferred by the applicant herein - wife against the impugned order passed by learned Family Court, Vadodara so far as not awarding full maintenance as prayed for and awarding Rs.2,000/- per month only towards maintenance. Thus, Criminal Revision Application No.397 of 2012 has been preferred by the original applicant - wife to enhance the amount of maintenance awarded by learned Family Court, Vadodara.
4. Today when the present Criminal Revision Applications are taken up for final hearing, with the consent of the learned advocates appearing on behalf of the respective parties, Mr.Samir Afzal Khan, learned advocate appearing on behalf of the original complainant has stated at the bar that the husband has deposited entire amount of arrears of maintenance as per the order passed by learned Family Court i.e. Rs.34,000/-, which original applicant – wife may be permitted to withdraw the same, without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the respective parties in the proceedings before learned Family Court, which is to be remanded to the learned Family Court, Vadodara with the consent of the learned advocates appearing on behalf of the respective parties.
5. Mr.P.P.Majmudar, learned advocate appearing on behalf of the original applicant- wife, under the instruction from the original applicant-wife, has stated at the bar that she has no objection if the impugned order passed by learned Family Court is quashed and set aside and the matter is remanded to the learned Family Court to decide and dispose of the same in accordance with law and on merits. However, he has requested to permit the wife to withdraw an amount of Rs.34,000/-, which the original opponent- husband has deposited on 29/10/2012, without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the respective parties and more particularly without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the original applicant - wife to claim more amount towards maintenance.
6. In view of the above, learned advocates appearing on behalf of the respective parties do not invite any further reasoned order while quashing and setting aside the impugned order passed by learned Family Court and remanding the matter to the learned Family Court to decide and dispose of the same in accordance with law and on merits, after permitting the parties to lead additional evidence if they so chose.
7. In view of the above, without further entering into the merits of the case and without expressing anything on merits in favour of the either of the parties and in view of the above broad consensus between learned advocates appearing on behalf of the respective parties, as recorded hereinabove, the impugned order dated 30/05/2012 passed by learned Family Court, Vadodara in Criminal Misc.Application No.406 of 2011 is hereby quashed and set aside and the matter is remanded to learned Family Court, Vadodara to decide and dispose of the said application in accordance with law and on merits and after giving an opportunity to both the sides and by permitting the parties to lead additional evidence if they so chose. However, it is made clear that this Court has not expressed anything on merits in favour of the either of the parties and it is ultimately for the leaned Family Court to pass the order awarding maintenance on the basis of evidence led.
8. It will be open for the original applicant - wife to withdraw an amount of Rs.34,000/-, which the original opponent- husband has deposited with the learned Family Court and the same shall be paid to original applicant - wife by Account Payee Cheque, at the earliest. However, it is made clear that the aforesaid shall be without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the respective parties and subject to the ultimate outcome of Criminal Misc.Application No.406 of 2011. It is also made clear that the aforesaid shall be without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the respective parties in the proceedings under the Domestic Violence Act and/or any other proceedings and the same shall be decided and disposed of in accordance with law and on merits and without in any way being influenced by the present order.
In the facts and circumstances of the case, learned Family Court, Vadodara is directed to decide and dispose of the aforesaid Criminal Misc. Application on remand at the earliest but not later than three months from the date of receipt of the present order. All concerned are directed to co- operate learned Family Court in disposing of the proceedings within stipulated time as stated hereinabove. If it is found by learned Family Court that either of the parties is not co- operating in disposing of the proceedings within stipulated time, it will be open for the learned Family Court to proceed further with the hearing ex-parte after recording reasons. With this, both these revisions applications are disposed of. Rule is made absolute to the aforesaid extent in both these revision applications. Direct service is permitted.
*dipti [M.R.SHAH,J]