SEEMA KUMARI Vs. RAJESH KUMAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioner is wife of respondent No.1 Rajesh Kumar and daughter-in-law of respondent No.2 Braham Dass. She has approached this Court against the order dtd. 7/9/2019 passed by the learned Sessions Judge, Hamirpur in Criminal Appeal No. 02 of 2017 titled Rajesh Kumar and another versus Seema Kumari, under Sec. 29 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (for short "the Act"), whereby maintenance awarded in favour of the petitioner has been reduced to Rs.1,000.00 from Rs.3,000.00 per month.

(2.) Marriage of the petitioner and respondent No.1 was solemnized on 10/2/2004. After marriage, their relations were strained and as per petitioner, she was forced to leave the house by the respondents by harassing her, whereupon she had made a complaint to Nagar Panchayat, Bhota and respondent No.1 Rajesh Kumar had given in writing before the Pradhan of Nagar Panchayat Bhota that he would neither beat his wife (petitioner) nor abuse her. In the year 2008 also, a written compromise was executed before the Gram Panchayat Bari on 10/11/2008, wherein respondent No.1 had agreed and undertake to bear maintenance of his wife, and to take care of his wife and children and other family members.

(3.) It is case of the petitioner that behavior of respondent No.1 did not improve which resulted in filing of complaint by the petitioner under the Act. The said complaint was adjudicated by the Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Court No.3, Hamirpur vide order dtd. 18/4/2016 passed in DV Petition No. 29/1/2011, titled Seema Kumari versus Rajesh Kumar and another. In the said order, learned Magistrate haD held that petitioner was entitled for protection order, relief of residence and maintenance, and accordingly, protection order was passed in favour of the petitioner prohibiting the respondents from committing any act of domestic violence in future and respondent No.1 was also directed to provide a separate room to the petitioner either in his home or in a rented accommodation if separate room was not available with him, and in case rented accommodation was to be provided, then rent thereof had to be paid by respondent No.1 and he was restrained from entering in such room without consent of the petitioner. Respondent No.1 was further directed by the learned Magistrate to pay Rs.3,000.00 per month to the petitioner as maintenance from the date of the order.