In Brief
The appellant, a married woman, left her matrimonial home in January 2008 claiming cruelty and dowry demands by her husband. She sought maintenance for herself and child under Section 125 Cr.P.C., which the trial court granted at Rs. 4,000 each. The husband challenged this before the High Court, which quashed the maintenance order, finding no reasonable cause for her separation. However, a Family Court had separately found the husband guilty of cruelty and the wife innocent of desertion. The husband was also convicted under Section 498-A IPC for dowry-related cruelty. The Supreme Court held that the wife had reasonable cause to leave and was entitled to maintenance, setting aside the High Court's order as cryptic and contrary to judicial findings.
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