RANJANA ASHOKRAO DESAI Vs. ASHOKRAO YASHWANTRAO DESAI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE Appeal is filed against the judgment of the Family Court at Pune dismissing the Appellant's petition under section 18 of the Hindu Adoptions & Maintenance Act, 1956 claiming maintenance from the Respondent.

(2.) WHETHER a Hindu woman married to a Hindu man during the subsistence of a previous valid marriage of the latter can be said to be his wife within the meaning of that expression in section 18 of the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956 is the question that falls for our determination.

(3.) ISSUES were framed and evidence was lead including as regards the Respondent's financial position and the question of cruelty. The learned Judge however answered the first issue viz. whether the Petitioner is the wife of the Respondent in the negative. We are in respectful agreement with the findings and reasoning recorded by the learned Judge on this issue.