Punjab and Haryana High Court asks live-in couple to pay Rs 50,000 to Covid relief fund

Chandigarh, September 12

A live-in couple, who moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking protection after levelling uncorroborated allegations against their spouses, will end up contributing to the Covid relief fund.

Admonishing the couple for suppressing material facts, Justice Manoj Bajaj directed them to deposit Rs 50,000 in the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana Covid relief fund. This is the second protection matter in which the Bench imposed costs on a couple, indicating a tough stand towards the petitions filed on frivolous grounds.

Justice Bajaj asserted the petition contained bald allegation of cruelty, without supportive material. During the course of hearing, it was not disputed by the counsel that petitioner-woman left her husband’s company in 2016 and the complaints were filed by her two years later.

The counsel further conceded that both the petitioners had not obtained divorce from their spouses and petition for divorce was pending. It was their case that they were previously known to each other, being resident of the same place. As such, they fell in love and decided to live together and it might have resulted in strained relationships between the legally wedded partners.

Justice Bajaj added averments regarding an alleged incident of beating in the petition and the representation in the matter did not reveal material particulars, such as the date, time, place of the occurrence and did not, as such, inspire confidence. — TNS

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