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[Cites 14, Cited by 0]

Delhi District Court

Deepika Gupta vs . Aneesh Gupta & Ors. on 17 November, 2016

                                               Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.
                                                                      CA No. 139/15



               IN THE COURT OF SH. ANIL KUMAR:
              SPECIAL JUDGE (THE COMPANIES ACT)
     ADDITIONAL SESSIONS JUDGE­03 : DWARKA COURTS : DELHI

In the matter of: ­

Criminal Appeal No. 139/15

Deepika Gupta
W/o Aneesh Gupta
D/o Shri Kamal Krishan Gupta
R/o B1­102, Gold Croft Apartment,
Plot No.­4, Sector­11,
Dwarka, New Delhi­110075                                       ...Appellant


                                Versus

1)       Aneesh Gupta
         S/o Shri Pradeep Kumar Gupta
         R/o House No.­09083, ATS Advantage,
         Ahinsa Khand­1, Indirapuram, 
         Ghaziabad, U.P.­201014

2)       Pradeep Kumar Gupta
         R/o House No.­09083, ATS Advantage,
         Ahinsa Khand­1, Indirapuram, 
         Ghaziabad, U.P.­201014

3)       Vipul Gupta
         W/o Shri Pradeep Kumar Gupta
         R/o House No.­09083, ATS Advantage,
         Ahinsa Khand­1, Indirapuram, 
         Ghaziabad, U.P.­201014




Page no.  1 /19                                                         17.11.2016
                                                            Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.
                                                                                  CA No. 139/15



4)       Aditi Maheshwary
         W/o Shri Rahul Maheshwary
         D/o Shri Pradeep Kumar Gupta 
         R/o House No.­09083, ATS Advantage,
         Ahinsa Khand­1, Indirapuram, 
         Ghaziabad, U.P.­201014

         Currently living at:
         Block­7, #04­03, The Esparis,
         Pasir Ris Drive­4, Singapore­519459

5)       Rahul Maheshwary
         R/o House No.­09083, ATS Advantage,
         Ahinsa Khand­1, Indirapuram, 
         Ghaziabad, U.P.­201014

         Currently living at:
         Block­7, #04­03, The Esparis,
         Pasir Ris Drive­4, Singapore­519459
                                                                      ...Respondents
          Date of Filing of Appeal                   :        18.09.2015
          Date of Advancing Arguments                :        21.10.2016
          Date of Judgment        
                                           
                                                    
                                                    :        
                                                             17.11.2016

                                ­ :J U D G M E N T : ­


1.   Vide this judgment, I shall dispose of the present appeal under Section  29 of the  Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005,   filed   by   the   appellant   against   the   impugned   order   dated 26.08.2015, passed by the Ld. Metropolitan Magistrate, Dwarka Courts, New Delhi vide which Ld. Trial Court directed to issue summons only Page no.  2 /19 17.11.2016 Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.

CA No. 139/15

to   respondent   No.1   and   observed   that   there   is   no   need   to   summon respondent Nos. 2 to 5.

2.   Brief facts necessary for disposal of the present appeal, as per the   application   under   Section   12   of   the   Protection   of   Women   from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 filed by the appellant/ complainant before the Ld. Trial Court, are that the appellant/ complainant got married to respondent No.1 Aneesh Gupta on 29.11.2008 according to Hindu Rites and   Ceremonies   at   Delhi   and   from   the   said   wedlock,   a   male   child namely Master Advik was born on 08.10.2012 who is presently in the care and custody of the appellant/mother. Respondent No.4/sister­in­ law,   though   being   a   married   daughter,   resided   in   the   matrimonial home of the appellant alongwith all other respondents at Kamla Nagar, Delhi and appellant lived with all the respondents under the same roof and shared a common kitchen. Since, the very first day of marriage, the appellant was harassed and tortured mentally and physically by all the respondents on account of dowry demand.  The respondents asked the parents   of   appellant   to   give   a   car   in   marriage,   as   a   new   car   was required for respondent No.5.   The appellant was repeatedly sexually molested by respondent No.2 and 5 on various occasions. The mother­ in­law   of   appellant   would   tell   the   appellant   to   go   and   sit   with respondent   No.5   to   entertain   him   and   appellant   was   also   forced   to serve   whiskey   and   snacks   to   respondent   No.2   and   respondent No.1/husband kept silent when she was tortured and molested and the respondents humiliated the appellant in connivance with each other to Page no.  3 /19 17.11.2016 Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.

CA No. 139/15

get rid of the appellant so that respondent No.1 could marry another girl who would bring in more dowry. On the night of 29.08.2010, the appellant   was   thrown   out   of   her   matrimonial   home   and   only   after interference of relatives from both sides, the matter could be resolved and the appellant came back to the matrimonial house on 25.10.2010. Thereafter, appellant and respondent No.1 were made to take a flat on rent   in   Dwarka.   Even   though   the   complainant   and   respondent   no.1 shifted   to   a   separate   accommodation,   they   would   stay   at   the matrimonial   house   at   Kamla   Nagar.   After   shifting   to   Dwarka, respondent   no.1   started   consuming   alcohol   at   home   on   a   daily   and would   also   call   his   friends   over   at   home   who   would   pass   lewd comments on the complaint and would take cheap thrills.  After shifting to Dwarka, whenever complainant touched feet of Respondent no.2, he would touch the complainant inappropriately and would deliberately hug her and feel her all over the body and molest the complainant.  On 08.10.2012,   complainant gave birth to a son and complainant stayed in   the   matrimonial   house   at   Kamla   Nagar   after   the   delivery. Respondent   no.   4   &   5   came   to   stay   at   the   matrimonial   house   on 14.11.2012 and thereafter, respondent no.4  started giving highly spicy and 5 days stale food to complainant which was un­palatable by all means. When parents of the complainant visited her matrimonial house to see the new born child, respondents told them that they had spent a sum   of   Rs.  3  Lacs  on   the   treatment  of   the   complainant,  hence   they should pay them back a sum of Rs. 8 Lacs plus car which is already pending.   Parents of complainant showed their inability to fulfull the Page no.  4 /19 17.11.2016 Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.

CA No. 139/15

demand   of   respondents   but   respondents   remained   adamant   and therefore, parents of complainant gave a sum of Rs.3 Lacs in the form of cash and gifts to the respondents, baby boy and to the complainant on the day of ceremonies of the new born child.   In December 2012, complainant and respondent no.1 decided to buy a flat in their joint name and make their son, namely Master Advik, as a nominee. For this, respondent no.1 sought financial help from the father of complainant and   father   of   complainant   arranged   a   sum   of   Rs.   3   lacs   and complainant   arranged   a   sum   of   Rs.2   lacs   and   they   gave   the   said amount to respondent by way of cheques but respondent no.1 never showed   any   paper   of   booking   of   flat   to   them.     In   June   2013, respondent no.1 packed all the belongings   of complainant and their son and he took them to his parents house at Indirapuram and all the furnitures   remained   in   the   flat   of   uncle   of   respondent   no.1.   On 04.11.2013,  complainant and her son were suffering from fever and respondent   no.1,   on   the   instigation   of   his   parents,   left   them   at   the house of parents of complainant. Complainant wanted to give another chance to the marriage for the sake of child, therefore, in July 2014, complainant went back to the flat of uncle of respondent no.1 to live there with her child. Respondent no.1 came to the flat after one month and started fighting with the complainant over money matters and he further threatened the complainant to either give him divorce or else, he   would   kill   her.     In   the   month   of   August   2014,   respondent   no.1 forcibly took a flat on rent on the 10 th  floor (top floor) in Gold Croft Society,   Sector­11,   Dwarka   and   made   the   complainant   shift   there Page no.  5 /19 17.11.2016 Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.

CA No. 139/15

alongwith the child so that when respondent no.1 fights and tortures the   complainant,   nobody   else   is   able   to   hear   it.   In   the   month   of September 2014, Respondent no.1 pressurized the complainant to ask her   parents   to   give   her   cash   for   XUV   500   car   and   on   refusal   of complainant, respondent no.1 harassed her by giving beatings to her badly.     Respondent   no.4   &   5   would   humiliate   the   complainant   and would keep pressurizing her to get gold chain and gold set from her parents'   place.   Complainant   alleged   that   parents   of   respondent   no.1 would often come to Dwarka and would humiliate her. On 15.04.2015, on the first day of school of minor child, respondent no.1 went to office and respondent No.2 & 3 came to their house and respondent no. 1 tried to molest the complainant. On 15.05.2015, respondent No. 2 and 3   came   to   the   accommodation   at   Dwarka   where   complainant   was temporarily residing with respondent no.1 and they took away all the belongings   and   other   valuables   of   respondent   No.1.   On   16.05.2015, respondent No.1 packed all his belongings which were left in the house and moved away from the house on the pretext of going to Australia. Complainant  alleged  that  during  her   stay  at  matrimonial  house,  she was   met   with   utmost   atrocities   and   mental   torture   by   all   the respondents.   

 

3.   On the abvoesaid application of complainant, Ld. Trial Court only summoned the respondent No.1 and relying upon the judgement Inderjit Singh Grewal Vs. State of Punjab & Anr., decided on 23.08.2011, observed that there is no need to summon respondent Nos. 2 to 5. 

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CA No. 139/15

4.   Feeling aggrieved by the impugned order, the appellant has assailed the same on the grounds that the Ld. Trial Court grossly erred in relying upon the judgment "Inderjit Singh Grewal Vs. State of Punjab"

which   does   not   deal   with   the   present   controversy   and   is   based   on completely   different   set   of   facts   and   circumstances   which   does   not apply to the present matter.  It is alleged that Ld. Trial Court has failed to appreciate that the intent of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act is to protect the woman from being victims of domestic violence and to prevent occurrence of domestic violence in the society. It is further alleged that Ld. Trial Court has failed to appreciate  the definitions   of   'aggrieved   person',   'domestic   violence'   and   'shared household' as defined under Section 2(a), 2 (f) and 2 (s) of the POWDV Act respectively as the appellant is an aggrieved person who has been in a domestic relationship with all respondents and has been residing in the   same   house   with   respondents   since   her   marriage.   It   is   further alleged the Ld. Trial Court has failed to appreciate that appellant has specifically stated in the complaint that respondent No.4 though, being a married daughter lived in the same house alongwith her family with appellant and was a part of joint family and the Ld. Trial Court also failed to consider that the appellant has leveled serious allegations of sexual   molestation   against   her   father­in­law/respondent   No.2   and brother­in­law/respondent No.5 and by not issuing summons to them, the abusers have been let off scot free and the appellant has been left with no other remedy as the acts of molestation have been done within Page no.  7 /19 17.11.2016 Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.
CA No. 139/15
the four walls of the house.  It is further alleged that the Ld. Trial Court has failed to appreciate that the appellant has stated incidents of abuse by   the   mother­in­law   and   sister­in­law   who   went   to   the   extent   of throwing   hot   food   on   the   appellant   and   the   Ld.   Trial   Court   has committed grave error by not keeping check of such acts.  It is further alleged  that  the  Ld. Trial   Court  has failed  to appreciate  that  all  the respondents have been working in connivance with each other to oust the appellant from the matrimonial house and to force her to ask for a separation so that respondent No.1 may marry another girl who could bring   in   more   dowry   and   that   the   appellant   was   shifted   to   rented accommodation in the year 2014 as an eyewash for the reason that in case   any   proceedings   under   the   POWDV   Act   are   initiated   by   the appellant, it would be pleaded that the respondent No. 2 to 5 do not share a common household with the appellant. 

5.   In reply to the appeal filed by respondents, allegations of the complainant   levelled   in   her   complaint   and   grounds   taken   by   the appellant   in   her   appeal   have   been   opposed   and   denied   by   the respondents   stating   that   appellant/complainant   has   not   been   in domestic   relationship   with   respondent   no.2   to   5.   It   is   stated   that respondent no. 4 is the sister of respondent no.1 and she was married prior to the marriage of appellant with respondent no.1.   It is further stated that respondent no.4 alongwith her husband/respondent no.5, who was working as Programme Manager, I.T. in Noida, at the time of their   marriage   and   now   working   as   Vice   President,   DBS   Bank, Page no.  8 /19 17.11.2016 Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.

CA No. 139/15

Singapore was residing in the house of her husband (respondent no.5) at Gurgaon from where they shifted to Mayur Vihar in Delhi and then to the campus of IIM Ahmedabad in Gujarat on 26.03.2009 and since May 2010, both Respondents no. 4 & 5 are residing in Singapore. It is stated that respondent no.4 & 5 have their own family responsibilities including   two   children   who   were   born   prior   to   the   marriage   of appellant with respondent no.1 and they have nothing to do with the domestic  relationship  of  appellant and respondent no.1. It is further stated   that   respondent   no.2   &   3   both   are   senior   citizens   and   are residing separately from their son and daughter­in­law for the past five years in order to save their institution of marriage.  It is stated that it is incorrect   to   say   that   judgment   passed   by  Hon'ble   Supreme   Court   in Inderjit Singh Grewal Vs. State of Punjab does not deal with the facts of present   case   as  the   said   judgement   interprets   the   concept   of   shared household and gave benefit to the appellant by observing the fact that no share household existed.   It is stated that in the present case also there does not exist the domestic relationship between respondent no.2 to 5 with the appellant as she was living separately and not in a share household.  It is stated that Ld. Trial Court has passed a well reasoned order   by   taking   into   consideration   the   domestic   relationship   existed between   appellant   and   respondent   no.1   only.   With   the   abovesaid submissions it is prayed that the present appeal being totally fictitious, frivolous, vexatious, misconceived and filed with mis­representation on facts and law, be dismissed. 

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CA No. 139/15

6.     I have heard Ld. Counsels for the parties and perused the entire record including TCR. I have given my thoughtful consideration to   submissions   made   by   Ld.   Counsel   for   appellant   as   well   as   Ld. Counsel for the respondents.

7.   Ld.   Counsel   for   the   appellant   has   argued   on   the   lines   of contents   of   appeal.   It   is   argued   by   Ld.   Counsel   that   appellant   was sharing the same household with the respondents since her marriage with  respondent no.1 and she  has been in the  domestic relationship with  all the  respondents.   It is further argued that there  are serious allegations by appellant, of sexual molestation, against her father­in­ law and brother­in­law and the appellant has stated the incidents of abuse   by   her   mother­in­law   and   sister­in­law   and   by   not   issuing summons to the respondent no.2 to 5, the abusers have been let off scot free and the appellant has been left with no remedy as the acts of molestation   have   been   done   within   the   four   walls   of   the   house.   In support of her arguments, Ld. Counsel for the appellant has relied upon the following judgements:­

1. Juveria Abul Majid Patni Vs. Atif Iqbal Mansoori & Anr. (10) SCC 736;

2. Geeta Kapoor & Anr. Vs. State of Haryana & Anr., 2013 Law Suit (P&H) 6732;

3. Clilaram   Vs.   State   [Gujrat   High   Court],   Crl.   Appln.   No. 1263/2013;

4. Arun Kumar Vs. Ritu Kashyap, CRM M. No. 21175/2013;

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CA No. 139/15

5. Savita   Bhanot   Vs.   Lt.   Col.   V.D.   Bhanot,   Crl.   M.C.   No. 3959/2009 [Delhi High Court];

6. V.D. Bhanot Vs. Savita Bhanot, (2012) 3 Supreme Court Cases 183;

7. Preetam Singh & Anr. Vs. State of UP & Anr., Crl. Rev. No. 2355/2012;

8. Bharati   Naik   Vs.   Ravi   Ramnath   Halarnkar   &   Anr,   (4)   AIR (BomR) 335.

 

8.   On   the   other   hand   Ld.   Counsels   for   respondents   have submitted that Ld. Trial Court has committed no irregularities while passing   the   impugned   order.   It   is   argued   that   Ld.   Trial   Court, considering the submissions of appellant herein by way of impugned order found that the joint shared household of appellant herein with respondent   no.2   &   3   ceased   about   one   year   prior   to   filing   of   the application and respondent no. 4 & 5 , whose marriage was solemnized prior   to   the  marriage   of   appellant  herein  with   respondent   no.1,  not sharing the same household with the appellant herein and accordingly ordered that there is no need to summon respondent no.2 to 5.   It is further   argued   that   plea   of   appellant   that   she   shifted   to   rented accommodation in Dwarka in August 2014 is false as the bare perusal of   appellant's   own   application   shows   that   respondent   no.1   and appellant   had   shifted   to   rented   premises   in   Dwarka   way   back   in December   2010.   In   support   of   their   arguments,   Ld.   Counsels   for respondents have relied upon the following judgements:­ Page no.  11 /19 17.11.2016 Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.

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1. Vijaya Baskar Vs. Suganya Devi, Crl. O.P.(MD) no. 10280 of 2010, Madras High Court, Dated 28.10.2010;

2. Inderjeet Singh Grewal Vs. State of Punjab & Anr., Crl. Appeal No. 1635 of 2011, SC, Dated 23.08.2011;

3. Harbans Lal Malik Vs. Payal Malik, Crl. Rev. P. No. 253/10, DHC, DOO: 29.07.2010;

4. S.R.   Batra   &   Anr.   Vs.   Smt.   Taruna   Batra,   Civil   Appeal   No. 5837 of 2006, SC. Dated 15.12.2006; and

5. Vijay   Verma   Vs.   State   NCT   of   Delhi   &   Anr.,   Crl.   M.C.   No. 3878/2009, DHC. Dated 13.08.2010

9. I   have   gone   through   the   judgements   relied   upon   by   Ld. Counsels for both the parties. 

10.  In S.R.Batra and Anr. Vs. Taruna Batra, dated 15.12.2006, passed  in   Crl.  Appeal   (civil)  No.5837/2006   by  the   Hon'ble   Supreme Court of India, it has been held as under:

"Learned   counsel   for   the   respondent   Smt.   Taruna   Batra   stated that   "the   definition   of   shared   household   includes   a   household where the persons aggrieved lives or at any stage had lived in a domestic   relationship.     He   contended   that   since   admittedly   the respondent   had   lived   in   the   property   in   question   in   the   past, hence, the said property is her shared household.
We cannot agree with this submission.
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If   the   aforesaid   submission   is   accepted,   then   it   will   mean   that wherever   the   husband   and   wife   lived   together   in   the   past   that property becomes a shared household.  It is quite possible that the husband and wife may have lived together in dozens of places e.g. with the husband's father, husband's paternal grand parents, his maternal parents, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, etc. If the interpretation canvassed by the learned counsel for the respondent is accepted, all these houses of the husband's relatives will be shared households and the wife can well insist in living in the all these houses of her husband's relatives merely because she had stayed with her husband for some time in those houses in the past. Such a view would lead to chaos and would be absurd.
It is well settled that any interpretation which leads to absurdity should not be accepted.
Learned counsel for the respondent Smt. Taruna Batra has relied upon Section 19(1)(f) of the Act and claimed that she should be given an alternative accommodation.   In our opinion, the claim for   alternative   accommodation   can   only   be   made   against   the husband and not against the husband's in­laws or other relatives.
As regards Section 17(1) of the Act, in our opinion the wife is only entitled to claim a right to residence in a shared household, and a 'shared   household'   would   only  mean   the  house   belonging   to  or taken on rent by the husband, or the house which belongs to the Page no.  13 /19 17.11.2016 Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.
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joint family of which the husband is a member.  The property in question in the present case neither belongs to Amit Batra nor was it taken on rent by him nor is it a joint family property of which the husband Amit Batra is a member.  It is the exclusive property of appellant No.2, mother of Amit Batra. Hence it cannot be called a 'shared household'".

11.  In  Vijay Verma Vs. State NCT of Delhi & Anr., Crl. M.C. No. 3878/2009, Dated 13.08.2010 of Hon'ble High Court of Delhi, it has been held as under:

"6.   A   perusal   of   this   provision   makes   it   clear   that   domestic relationship   arises   in   respect   of   an   aggrieved   person   if   the aggrieved   person   had   lived   together   with   the   respondent   in   a shared household. This living together can be either soon before filing of petition or "at any point of time".  Does that mean that living   together   at   any   stage   in   the   past   would   give   right   to   a person to become aggrieved person to claim domestic relationship? I consider that "at any point of time" under the Act only means where   an   aggrieved   person   has   been   continuously   living   in   the shared household  as a matter of right but for some reason the aggrieved person has to leave the house temporarily and when she returns,   she   is   not   allowed   to   enjoy   her   right   to   live   in   the property.  However, 'at any point of time" cannot be defined as "at any point of time in the past" whether the right to live survives or not. For example if there is a joint family where father has several sons with daughter­in­law living in a house and ultimately sons, one by one or together, decide that they should live separate with Page no.  14 /19 17.11.2016 Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.
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their own families and they establish separate household and start living   with   their   respective   families   and   they   establish   separate household and start living with their respective families separately at different places; can it be said that wife of each of the sons can claim a right to live in the house of father­in­law because at one point of time she along with her husband had lived in the shared household.  If this meaning is given to the shared household then the whole purpse of Domestic Violence Act shall stand defeated. Where a family member leaves the shared household to establish his own household, and actually establishes his own household, he cannot claim to have a right to move an application under Section

12   of   Protection   of  Women   from   Domestic   Violence   Act  on  the basis of domestic relationship.  Domestic relationship comes to an end once the son  along  with his  family moved  out of the joint family and established his own household or when a daughter gets married   and   establishes   her   own   household   with   her   husband. Such son, daughter, daughter­in­law, son­in­law, if they have any right   in   the  property  say   because   of   coparcenary   or   because   of inheritance, such right can be claimed by an independent civil suit and   an   application   under   Protection   of   Women   from   Domestic Violence Act cannot be filed by a person who has established his separate household  and ceased  to have a domestic relationship. Domestic relationship continues so long as the parties live under the same roof and enjoy living together in a shared household. Only a compelled or temporarily going out by aggrieved person shall fall in phrase 'at any point of time', say, wife has gone to her parents house or to a relative or some other female member has Page no.  15 /19 17.11.2016 Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.

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gone   to   live   with   her   some   relative,   and,   all   her   articles   and belongings remain within the same household and she has not left the household permanently, the domestic relationship continues. However,   where   the   living   together   has   been   given   up   and   a separate   household   is   established   and   belongings   are   removed, domestic relationship comes to an end and a relationship of being relatives of each other survives.   This is very normal in families that a person whether, a male or a female attains self sufficiency after education or otherwise and takes a job lives in some other city or country, enjoys life there, settles home there.  He cannot be said to have domestic relationship with the persons whom he left behind.  His relationship that of a brother and sister, father and son, father and daughter, father and daughter­in­law etc. survives but the domestic relationship of living in a joint household would not survive & comes to an end.

7.  This meaning of domestic relationship has sense when we come to definition of domestic violence and the purpose of the Act. The purpose   of   the   Act   is   to   give   remedy   to   the   aggrieved   persons against domestic violence.   The domestic violence can take place only when one is living in shared household with the respondents. The   acts   of   abuses,   emotional   or   economic,   physical   or   sexual, verbal or nonverbal if committed when one is living in the same shared household constitute domestic violence.  However, such acts of   violence   can   be   committed   even   otherwise   also   when   one   is living separate. When such acts of violence take place when one is living   separate,   these   may   be   punishable     under   different Page no.  16 /19 17.11.2016 Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.

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provisions of IPC or other penal laws, but, they cannot be covered under   Domestic   Violence   Act.     One   has   to   make   distinction between   violence   committed   on   a   person   living   separate   in   a separate household and the violence committed on a person living in the shared household.   Only violence committed by a person while   living   in   the   shared   household   can   constitute   domestic violence.  A person may be threatening another person 100 miles away on telephone or by messages etc.   This may amount to an offence under IPC, but, this cannot amount to domestic violence. Similarly,   emotional   blackmail,   economic   abuse   and   physical abuse   can   take   place   even   when   persons   are   living   mile   away. Such abuses are not covered under Domestic Violence Act but they are liable to be punished under Penal laws.  Domestic Violence is a violence   which   is   committed   when   parties   are   in   domestic relationship,   sharing   same   household   and   sharing   all   the household goods with an opportunity to commit violence."

12.  Perusal   of   trial   court   record   shows   that   complaint   under Section   12   of   D.V.   Act   was   filed   by   the   appellant/complainant   on 25.08.2015 not only against the husband but also against father­in­law, mother­in­law, sister­in­law (nanad) and brother­in­law (nandoi).   Ld. Trial Court has pleased to issue summon of the complaint filed by the appellant only to husband and not other persons. As per affidavit filed by appellant before Ld. Trial Court she is staying in matrimonial home which is a rented accommodation and lease of this matrimonial home is in  the  name  of   her  husband   Aneesh  Gupta.  In   her  affidavit  she   has further stated that till 16.05.2015, her husband was staying with her in Page no.  17 /19 17.11.2016 Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.

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rented   accommodation.   After   this,   he   is   staying   with   his   parents   at Ghaziabad.  Appellant/complainant has further  stated in  her  affidavit and   complaint   that   her   child   is   studying   in   Mother's   Pride   School, Sector­6, Dwarka, New Delhi since 15.04.2015. If, facts stated in the complaint by the complainant are taken in totality then it appears that complainant   is   residing   alongwith   her   husband   and   separately   from respondent no.2 to 5 in present case since 2010.  

  Keeping in view observation and finding of the Higher Courts in  S.R.   Batra   (Supra)  and  Vijay   Verma   (Supra)  and   facts   of   the present case as set up by appellant in her complaint under Section 12 of Domestic Violence Act, I find that there is no domestic relationship between the complainant and respondent no. 2 to 5. Complainant has set up her matrimonial home alongwith her husband separately from respondent no. 2 to 5 who are father­in­law, mother­in­law, sister­in­ law (nanad)and brother­in­law (nandoi). Appellant's temporarily stay with mother­in­law and father­in­law in their home does not establish domestic relationship. I find that judgment relied upon by Ld. Counsel for   appellant   are   not   of   any   help   to   appellant   in   the   facts   and circumstances   of   the   present   case.   Since   there   is   no   domestic relationship  as prescribed under D.V. Act between the appellant and respondent   no.2   to   5,   hence,   no   question   of   limitation   for   filing complaint under Section 12 of D.V.Act  arises.

13.  In view of above observations, I find that in the absence of Page no.  18 /19 17.11.2016 Deepika Gupta Vs. Aneesh Gupta & Ors.

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any   domestic   relationship,   as   prescribed   under   D.V.   Act,   between appellant and respondent no.2 to 5, no complaint under D.V. Act can be   filed   against   them.   Hence,   Ld.   Trial   Court   has   committed   no illegality or irregularity in refusing to issue summons to respondent no. 2 to 5. Hence, present appeal is dismissed. 

14.  File be consigned to record room after due compliance. 

Announced in the Open Court  on the 17th Day of November 2016  (Anil Kumar)                    Special Judge (The Companies Act) ASJ­03 : Dwarka Courts         Delhi/17.11.2016             Page no.  19 /19 17.11.2016