INTHEHIGHCOURTOFJUDICATUREATBOMBAY

CRIMINALAPPELLATEJURISDICTION
Amk
SejalDharmeshVed
Vs.
TheStateofMaharashtra&Ors.

C
ou

CRIMINALAPPLICATIONNO.160OF2011

rt

(1)(4)APL160/11

..Applicant

..Respondents

Mr.AmitS.Dhutiai/bNiranjanMundargifortheApplicant.
Mrs.A.A.Mane,APPforRespondentNo.1State.

P.C.

The applicantwife has challenged the order of the Court of

1.

:MRS.ROSHANDALVI,J.
th
:7
MARCH,2013.

ig
h

CORAM
DATE

Sessions at Greater Bombay dated 27.10.2010 holding that her application

underthePreventionofWomenfromDomesticViolenceAct,2005(D.VAct)is

2.

ba
y

notmaintainablebecauseshewasnotinanydomesticrelationship.
The applicant married on 04.05.1999. She lived with her

husbandintheUS.Therearetwoissuesfromthemarriage.Shereturnedto

om

Indiaon11.02.2009.
3.

ShefiledherapplicationundertheD.VActon18.01.2010.

4.

ThelearnedJudgehasconsideredthatunderthesecircumstances,

shehavingcometoIndiainFebruary,2009andhavingfiledthisapplicationin
January,2010,therewasnodomesticrelationshipbetweentheparties. The
learned Judge has considered the definition of domestic relationship. Of
course,thatrelationshipisdefinedtobeoneofwhichthepartythenlivedand
hadearlierlived.Thatwouldbeduringthesubsistenceoftheunionbetween
them.TheapplicationundertheD.V.Actcouldbefiled,whenthemarriage

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(2)(4)APL160/11

unionsubsisted. Thathavingcametoananendandlongafterthephysical

rt

relationshipcametobeanend,shehavingreturnedtoIndia,shecannotbe

5.

C
ou

takentobelivinginanydomesticrelationshipinIndia.

A wife who lived in a domestic relationship earlier, but which

ceasesonlybecauseofanydomesticviolencecancertainlyfileanapplication
forsuchdomesticviolencethattookplacewhilstshelivedinthatrelationship.
Suchapplicationisrequiredtobefiledwithinareasonabletimetoshowthat

ig
h

relationshipwouldgiveherthecauseofactiontosueundertheD.V.Actfor
thereliefsundertheAct.

AwifewhohasreturnedfromtheUSAandconsequentlyfromthe

6.

domesticrelationshipandlivedinIndiaforoneyearcannotfileanapplication
withregardtothatrelationshipaftersuchtime.Suchwifecannotbetakento

ba
y

beinanydomesticrelationship.TheorderofthelearnedJudgeis,therefore,
correct. The writ petition is completely devoid of merits and accordingly

(ROSHANDALVI,J.)

om

dismissed.

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