Woman who had taken 42 adjournments gets last chance...

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: The High Court of Karnataka granted a woman a ‘last chance’ to crossexamine her husband in a Family Court trial despite her having taken 42 adjournments in the case previously.

Stating that this was her last chance, the HC in its judgement said, “I deem it appropriate to grant one opportunity to the wife to further cross examine the husband, notwithstanding the aforesaid circumstance. The petitioner shall cross examine the husband on the next ensuing date of listing before the concerned Court. This shall be the last straw of opportunity to the pe - titioner and no further applications of the kind should be entertained by the concerned Court.”

Dr Preethu R, a 36-yearold from Bengaluru had filed the petition in the HC which was heard by Justice M Nagaprasanna. She had married Dr Madhuchandra P in 2015 and after the relationship turned sour they had approached the Family Court.

The case is still pending in the lower court and Dr Preethu approached the HC after the Family Court denied per mission to recall her husband for further cross examination.

The Family Court had turned down her request on grounds that she had already taken 42 adjournments in the case and had already crossexamined her husband at length at an earlier point of time.

In the HC, Dr Preethu’s advocate admitted that she had taken 42 adjournments but that was not deliberately.

The dispute had been referred to mediation and there were several rounds of talks between the couple which had failed. Therefore the adjournments had been south.

Therefore an opportunity to further cross examine the husband was sought.

Though the husband charged that it was “a ruse to track the proceedings further,” the HC deemed it fit to give one opportunity to the wife. Considering that the matrimonial dispute is pending for six years, the HC directed the lower court to complete the proceedings within three months.

“The petition is of the year 2017, close to seven years have lapsed now. Therefore, after the said cross examination, the concerned Court shall endeavour to conclude the proceedings, as expeditiously as possible, at any rate, within three months from the date of completion of cross examination,” it said disposing the petition.