A bitter PIL in HC: Suing against cruel women, man fined Rs 1 lakh

Express News Service Posted online: Fri Nov 26 2010, 05:18 hrs

The Gujarat High Court on Thursday slapped a fine of Rs 1 lakh to one Dashrath Devda who had filed a petition demanding legal protection to men against alleged harassment by women.

Dismissing the petition, the court ordered Devda, the president of Ahmedabad-based Akhil Bhartiya Patni Atyachar Virodhi Sangh (All India Federation Against Exploitation by Wives), to deposit the fine with Self Employed Womens Association (SEWA) in two months.

The court also ordered to seize Devdas properties if he fails to deposit the fine in two months.

Devda had filed the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) with a prayer that men, especially the husbands, should also be provided legal protection against exploitation by their wives. In his petition, Devda had made Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Director General of Police SS Khandwawala as the respondents.

He had contended that since women are having protection against men under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Domestic Violence Act, there should be some legal cover for men against the alleged exploitation by women.

Government Pleader Prakash Jani, who made an appearance on behalf of the State Government in the petition, said: The petitioner had contended that all the laws in India are heavily loaded in favour of women and there are no such provisions for men especially husbands.

And therefore, he had sought directions to the authorities to frame laws for the protection of the men and husbands, Jani added.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice S J Mukhopadhaya and Justice K M Thaker was irked by the frivolous contentions raised in the petition.

Finding the petition as a fit case to impose cost on the petitioner for filing the frivolous petition, the court asked him to pay Rs 1 lakh as fine, Jani said.

Jani said the court asked Devda to deposit the amount to SEWA in two months or ordered the authorities to recover the same under the the provisions of the Bombay Land Revenue Code by seizing his properties.