Saturday 8 April 2017

Whether issue of suppression of first marriage can be raised in proceeding U/S 127 of CRPC?

 There is yet another ground of challenge raised by the petitioner and it
is regarding his marriage with the respondent being unlawful, as the
respondent suppressed the fact at the time of her marriage with the applicant
that she was already married and her marriage with her first husband was in
subsistence. This ground would not be available under section 27(1) of Cr.P.C
and in order to resort to this ground, the petitioner would be required to seek
necessary orders from the competent court regarding cancellation of his
marriage and then a resort can be made to the provisions contained in Section
127(2) of Cr.P.C. In fact the learned Magistrate has already found no merit in
this ground and this finding of the learned Magistrate now has attained
finality after the appeal against such finding came to be dismissed.
IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY AT GOA
CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION NO.133 OF 2015
Shri Akbar Hussain Khan,


Smt. Saira Khan,

 CORAM: S. B. SHUKRE, J.
 DATE: 28TH JANUARY, 2016.
Citation: 2017 ALLMR(CRI)1058

 Heard. Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith. Heard finally by
consent.
2. This writ petition challenges two judgments and orders, one dated
30/5/2015 and the other dated 23/2/2012. Both these judgments and orders
have been delivered in Criminal Revision applications filed against the orders
impugned therein. Now, on instructions, learned counsel for the petitioner
has restricted her challenge in this writ petition to the judgment and order
dated 30/5/2015 passed in Criminal Revision application no.127/2013 by the
Addl. Sessions Judge-I, South Goa, Margao.
3. After grant of maintenance to the respondent at the rate of Rs.3000/- per
month by Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class, Margao, the petitioner
raised a challenge and pleaded for modification of the order of maintenance
by filing another application under section 127 Cr.P.C. on the ground that
there was a change in the circumstances. This application was rejected by the
learned Magistrate by his order dated 8/10/2013. The matter was carried to
the Court of Addl. Sessions Judge by invoking revisional jurisdiction under
section 397 Cr.P.C and thus the Criminal Revision Application no. 127/2013
came to be filed. After hearing both sides, the learned Addl. Sessions Judge
found that there was no illegality nor any impropriety committed by the
learned Magistrate while allowing the application under section 127 (1).
4. Being aggrieved by the order passed on 30/5/2015 now the petitioner,
the husband of the respondent is before this Court in the present writ petition.
5. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner's monthly
income is not enough and that the order of maintenance of Rs.3000/- per
month passed in favour of respondent no.1 has now become burdensome for
the petitioner.
6. According to the learned counsel for the respondent in order to show
entitlement to seek modification of the maintenance order passed under
section 127 of Cr.P.C., it is necessary for the applicant, who is the petitioner
in this petition, to submit proof of change of circumstances after passing of
the order which the petitioner has failed to do. Therefore, there is no merit in
this petition.
7. On perusal of the impugned order, I find that there is neither any
illegality nor arbitrariness nor any breach of any relevant principles of law
committed by the learned District Judge while dismissing the Revision
application filed against the order dated 8/10/2013 passed by the learned
Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Margao rejecting the application filed under
section 127 of Cr.P.C.
8. It is well settled law that in order to invoke jurisdiction of criminal
Court under section 127, it is necessary that the applicant submits proof
relating to change in circumstances. On going through the impugned
judgment and order as well as the order passed by the learned Magistrate, I
could not see that any such proof has been tendered by the petitioner in
support of his said contention. Learned counsel for the petitioner also could
not point out to me any such proof having being submitted by the petitioner.
Consequently, as rightly submitted by the learned counsel for the respondent
there is no merit in this petition.
9. There is yet another ground of challenge raised by the petitioner and it
is regarding his marriage with the respondent being unlawful, as the
respondent suppressed the fact at the time of her marriage with the applicant
that she was already married and her marriage with her first husband was in
subsistence. This ground would not be available under section 27(1) of Cr.P.C
and in order to resort to this ground, the petitioner would be required to seek
necessary orders from the competent court regarding cancellation of his
marriage and then a resort can be made to the provisions contained in Section
127(2) of Cr.P.C. In fact the learned Magistrate has already found no merit in
this ground and this finding of the learned Magistrate now has attained
finality after the appeal against such finding came to be dismissed.
10. In the circumstances, this writ petition being devoid of merit deserves
to be dismissed. The writ petition stands dismissed. Rule stands discharged. 
11. With this order, the order directing calling of record and proceedings is
recalled. If record and proceedings have been sent to this Court, it be sent
back to the concerned Court.
12. Parties are directed to appear before the concerned Court on the date
already fixed in the Execution proceedings pending before the Court of
Judicial Magistrate First Class, Margao.
 S. B. SHUKRE, J.


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