Maintenance was denied to wife, because she could not prove her allegations with cogent evidences.
From Para 14,
Byru Rajeswari Vs Byru Suresh Babu on 30 Apr 201814) Broadly speaking there is no dispute about the legal status of 1st Petitioner as lawfully wedded wife of the Respondent and the legal status of the
2nd Petitioner as the son of the 1st Petitioner and the Respondent. Upon perusal of evidence of P.W.1 and 2 and R.Ws.1 and 2, it is admitted fact that the marriage of 1st Petitioner and Respondent was performed on 13.06.2012. Admittedly P.W.1 and Respondent lived happily for one and 1/2 years i.e., only after few months after the birth of the 2nd Petitioner in the year 2013. Admittedly, P.W.1 began living away from her husband at her parents house when the 2nd Petitioner was aged 11 months old i.e., from March, 2014. There is variation in the evidence of the Petitioners and Respondent as to the exact reasons for separation of P.W.1 from R.W.1. Once it is admitted that P.W.1 is living separately from R.W.1, the burden of proving that she is living separately from R.W.1 for a reasonable cause is on the P.W.1. In support of the same the Petitioner made many allegations regarding the harassment meted out to her at the Respondent’s house during her stay with the Respondent. However, she also admitted that she lived happily for one and half years. Although she alleged that the Respondent did not visit hospital after the 2nd Petitioner was admitted in Hospital for Typhoid fever, P.W.2 admitted that the Respondents were present at the hospital and subsequently she returned back to Respondent’s home. Therefore all the allegations of P.W.1 prior to March, 2014 are not entirely proved. It is admitted by P.W.2 that no complaint was filed against the Respondent and his family with regard to dowry harassment and neither his daughter P.W.1 gave any such complaint. Although, P.W.1 stated in her chief-affidavit that on 19.02.2016 a Complaint was filed against the Respondent by her and the same was registered as Crime No.38/16 no certified copy of the complaint was filed by her and no exhibit was marked in proof of such complaint. The alleged complaint as per P.W.1 pertains to incident on 23.01.2016 when the Respondent and his parents visited P.W.1’s parents house and demanded her signature on divorce papers and pressed her neck and threatened her that they will kill her. Even otherwise the alleged F.I.R in existence relates to incident which occurred in 2016 i.e., two years after P.W.1 started living at her parents house. There are no specific dates mentioned by P.W.1 about the time when she returned to her parents home and the time when she tried to go back to the Respondent’s house with the help of mediators. Apart from admitted facts of P.W.1 that Respondent and herself lived happily for one and half years, she admitted that she does not want to go back to the Respondent even after the Respondent is willing to take her back. P.W.2 also deposed that he is not willing to send the 1st Petitioner to the Respondent’s fold and there were talks through elders by the Respondents but they have not acted or responded to the same. In such circumstances, it can be said that the 1st Petitioner is living separately at her parents house without any reasonable cause and therefore she is not entitled to claim maintenance. Therefore, point No.1 is answered partly in favour of the Respondent and against the 1st Petitioner.
Index here.