IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
CRIMINAL REVISION APPLICATION No. 442 of 2012
For Approval and Signature:
HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.R. SHAH ========================================================= 1 Whether Reporters of Local Papers may be allowed to see the judgment ? YES 3 2 To be referred to the Reporter or not ? NO Whether their Lordships wish to see the fair copy of the judgment ? NO Whether this case involves a substantial question 4 of law as to the interpretation of the constitution of India, 1950 or any order made thereunder ? NO 5 Whether it is to be circulated to the civil judge ? NO =========================================================
THAKOR RAMESHBHAI (RAMESHJI) MADARJI - Applicant(s)
Versus
STATE OF GUJARAT & 1 - Respondent(s)
=========================================================
Appearance :
MR MAHENDRA K PATEL for Applicant(s) : 1, MS CHETNA SHAH ADDL.PUBLIC PROSECUTOR for Respondent(s) : 1, MR SIDDHARTH H DAVE for Respondent(s) : 2, ========================================================= CORAM : HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.R. SHAH
Date : 02/11/2012
CAV JUDGMENT 1.00. RULE. Ms.Chetna Shah, learned Additional Public Prosecutor waives the service of notice of rule on behalf of the respondent No.1 – State and Mr.Siddharth Dave, learned advocate waives the service of notice of rule on behalf of the respondent No.2.
2.00. In the facts and circumstances of the case and with the consent of the learned advocates appearing on behalf of the respective parties, present Revision Application is taken up for final hearing today.
3.00. Present Criminal Revision Application has been preferred by the petitioner herein – original opponent – husband challenging the impugned order passed by the learned Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Sidhhpur, below Ex.29 in Criminal Misc.Application No.4 of 2010 dtd.1/8/2012, by which the learned Magistrate has rejected the said application preferred by the petitioner herein – original opponent – husband for conducting Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid Test (DNA Test” for short) of the petitioner herein as well as minor son Rahul – original applicant No.3, so as to confirm as to whether the petitioner herein is the father of said Rahul or not.
3.01. That the respondent No.2 herein – original applicant – wife has preferred Criminal Misc.Application No. 4 of 2010 in the court of learned Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Sidhhpur claiming maintenance under section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for herself and for two minor sons named Mehul and Rahul – original applicant Nos.2 and 3. That in the said application it was the specific case of the petitioner herein – original opponent that he is not father of the original applicant No.3 – Rahul and therefore, he has disputed the paternity. It was the specific case on behalf of the petitioner herein even in the evidence that the respondent No.2 herein – original applicant No.1 – wife left her matrimonial house in the month of March, 2008 and thereafter she returned to her matrimonial house after a period of eight months i.e. in the month of December, 2008 and in the meantime, the petitioner herein – original opponent – husband has never visited the house of his in-laws where his wife – respondent No.2 herein was residing and he has never met his wife – respondent No.2 herein. It was the case on behalf of the petitioner herein – husband that at the time when the respondent No.2 – wife returned to the house of the petitioner herein in the month of December, 2008, she was pregnant and she was carrying 13 weeks pregnancy and therefore, it was submitted that Rahul, who is born from the aforesaid pregnancy is not his son and hs is not the father of said Rahul and therefore, he is not liable to pay maintenance to the Rahul under section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and therefore, the maintenance application deserves to be dismissed.
3.02. To prove the above and/or to substantiate the same, the petitioner herein – original opponent - husband submitted application Ex.29 for conducting DNA Test of the petitioner herein – original opponent – husband as well as said Rahul – original opponent No.2, so as to confirm as to whether the petitioner herein is the father of Rahul or not.
3.03. The said application was opposed by the respondent No.2 herein – original applicant No.1 – wife for herself and on behalf of the original applicant No.3 – minor Rahul. However, no written reply was filed by her opposing the said application Ex.29.
3.04. That the learned Magistrate, by the impugned order dtd.1/8/2012 has rejected the said application by observing that from the evidence on record, it is not established that the respondent No.2 herein - original applicant – wife was living in adultery and/or having sexual relationship with other persona and also on the ground that the Doctor, who has given Certificate, has not been examined by the petitioner herein – husband.
3.05. Being aggrieved by and dissatisfied with the impugned Judgement and Order passed by the learned Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Sidhhpur below application Ex.29 in rejecting the application submitted by the petitioner herein – husband to conduct DNA Test of Rahul as well as the petitioner herein – husband has preferred the present Revision Application.
4.00. Mr.Mahendra Patel, learned advocate appearing on behalf of the petitioner herein – husband has submitted that in the facts and circumstances of the case, the learned Magistrate has erred in rejecting the application Ex.29 and in not passing order to conduct DNA Test of the petitioner - husband as well as minor Rahul – original applicant No.3. It is submitted that considering the fact that his wife i.e. original applicant went to her parent’s house in the month of March, 2008 and thereafter, she returned in the month of December, 2008 and in between the petitioner has never visited his in- laws’ house where his wife was residing and never met her wife – respondent No.2 herein - original applicant and/or the petitioner herein had no relation with his wife – respondent No.2 herein, and when the respondent No.2 – wife returned in December, 2008 she was carrying pregnancy of 13 weeks and thereafter she gave birth to the original applicant No.3 – Rahul and therefore, the petitioner has reasonable apprehension and/or is justified in contending that the said minor Rahul is not his son and/or he is not the father of the original applicant No.3 – Rahul and therefore, he is not liable to pay maintenance to the said Rahul and to prove the same when the petitioner herein submitted application Ex.29 to conduct his DNA Test as well as DNA test of the minor Rahul, in the facts and circumstances of the case, the learned Magistrate ought to have allowed the said application. It is submitted that under the circumstances, except the DNA Test as prayed for, the petitioner has no other alternative to prove the paternity and to prove that he is not the father of minor Rahul. Relying upon the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Sharda V. Dharmpal, reported in AIR 2003 S.C. 3450, it is submitted that as held by the Hon'ble Supreme Court such a DNA Test is permissible and the same is not in violation of Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Therefore, it is requested to allow the present Revision Application.
5.00. Present Criminal Revision Application has been opposed by Mr.Siddharth Dave, learned advocate appearing on behalf of the respondent No.2. Relying upon the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Goutam Kundu Versus State of West Bengal & Another, reported in 1993 (3) SCC 418 it is requested to dismiss the present Criminal Revision Application. It is submitted that as such, such a DNA test can only be directed if it is in the best interest of the child. It is submitted that as such there is presumption in favour of the child and DNA in the matter relating to paternity of a child should not be directed by a Court as a matter of course. He has also relied upon section 112 of the Evidence Act by submitting that there is always a presumption of legitimacy of the son born during the continuance of a valid marriage between his mother and father. He has also relied upon the decision of the Bombay High Court in the case of Sunil Eknath Trambake Versus Leelavati Sunil Trambake, reported in AIR 2006 (Bombay) 140 as well as decision of Andhra Pradesh in the case of Shaik Fakruddin Versus Shaik Mohammed Hasan And another, reported in AIR 2006 Andhra Pradesh 48, in support of his prayer to dismiss the present Revision Application.
6.00. Heard the learned advocates appearing on behalf of the respective parties at length as well as decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court relied upon by the learned advocates appearing on behalf of the respective parties, referred to hereinabove as well as decision of the Bombay High Court as well as Andhra Pradesh High Court, relied upon by the learned advocate appearing on behalf of the respondent No.2 – original complainant.
6.01. Considering the subsequent decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Sharda V. Dharmpal, reported in AIR 2003 S.C. 3450, in which the Hon'ble Supreme Court has also considered the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Gautam Kundu (supra), it appears that as observed and held by the Hon'ble Supreme Court even in the subsequent decision, there is no specific bar to pass an order for DNA Test, however such an order to pass an order of DNA Test of the father and the son, cannot be passed in routine manner and/or as a matter of course. It is further observed that such prayer cannot be granted to have growing inquiry and there must be a strong prima facie case and it is required to be considered carefully as to what would be consequences of ordering the blood test. Therefore, while passing such an order for blood test / DNA Test of the father and the son, a great care should be taken by the Court. Considering the ratio laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the aforesaid decisions and considering the facts of the case on hand, it appears that a strong prima facie case has been made out by the petitioner for ordering DNA Test of himself and the son of the respondent No.2 herein – Rahul. It is admitted by the respondent No.2 in her evidence before the learned trial court that she had left her husband place in March, 2008 and she stayed at her parents house for 8 to 9 months and again when she returned to the house of the applicant in the month of December, 2008, she was pregnant and at that time she was carrying pregnancy of 13 weeks and out of the said pregnancy, son of the respondent No.2 – Rahul has been born, who is original applicant No.3 before the learned trial court, who has claimed maintenance from the petitioner herein. Under the circumstances, the petitioner herein has disputed the liability of the son of the respondent No.2 – Rahul – applicant No.3 before the learned trial court, to maintain him and/or to pay him maintenance, on the ground that the said Rahul is not the son of the petitioner herein and therefore, to prove the same, he has submitted application for ordering DNA Test of the petitioner as well as minor son Rahul. There is a strong prima facie case in favour of the petitioner herein. It is required to be noted that this Court also drawn attention of the respondent No.2 and explained her that if the DNA Test is proved against the respondent No.2 and minor son Rahul, what would be the consequences. However, the learned advocate appearing on behalf of the respondent No.2 has stated at the bar under the instructions from the respondent No.2 and even minor son – Rahul that, the respondent No.2 cannot forgo maintenance of the original applicant No.3 – her minor son – Rahul. Under the circumstances, this Court has no other alternative but to pass an order for conducting DNA Test of the petitioner as well as minor son – Rahul.
7.00. In view of the above and for the reasons stated above, present Criminal Revision Application succeeds. The impugned order passed by the learned Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Sidhhpur, below Ex.29 in Criminal Misc.Application No.4 of 2010 dtd.1/8/2012 is hereby quashed and set aside and consequently the aforesaid application Ex.29 is hereby allowed and it is ordered to conduct DNA Test of the petitioner as well as minor son Rahul – original applicant No.3. Rule is made absolute accordingly.
[M.R. SHAH, J.] rafik