Penalty for breach of protection order by respondent
Full Text
(1) A breach of protection order, or of an interim protection order, by the respondent shall be an offence under this Act and shall be punishable with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to twenty thousand rupees, or with both.
(2) The offence under sub-section (1) shall as far as practicable be tried by the Magistrate who had passed the order, the breach of which has been alleged to have been caused by the accused.
(3) While framing charges under sub-section (1), the Magistrate may also frame charges under section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) or any other provision of that Code or the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 (28 of 1961), as the case may be, if the facts disclose the commission of an offence under those provisions.
Plain English Summary
Makes the breach of any protection or interim protection order by the respondent a criminal offense punishable by up to 1 year of imprisonment, a fine of up to ₹20,000, or both.
Key Legal Elements
- Breach of a protection or interim protection order is a criminal offense.
- Punishable by up to 1 year imprisonment, or fine up to ₹20,000, or both.
- The trial should preferably be conducted by the same Magistrate who passed the protection order.
- Allows Magistrate to simultaneously frame charges under IPC Section 498A or Dowry Prohibition Act if facts disclose those offenses.
Punishment
Up to 1 year imprisonment, or fine up to ₹20,000, or both.
Practical Note
The only penal section in the Act. Enables criminal prosecution of the husband/respondent if he violates court-issued protection orders. Note that it only applies to breach of protection orders, not failure to pay maintenance.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) प्रत्यर्थी द्वारा संरक्षण आदेश या अंतरिम संरक्षण आदेश का कोई भी भंग इस अधिनियम के अधीन एक अपराध होगा और वह किसी एक अवधि के कारावास से, जो एक वर्ष तक बढ़ सकती है, या जुर्माने से, जो बीस हजार रुपये तक बढ़ सकता है, या दोनों से दंडनीय होगा।
(2) उपधारा (1) के अधीन अपराध का विचारण यथासाध्य उस मजिस्ट्रेट द्वारा किया जाएगा जिसने वह आदेश पारित किया था जिसका भंग अभियुक्त द्वारा कारित किया जाना अभिकथित है।
(3) उपधारा (1) के अधीन आरोप तय करते समय, मजिस्ट्रेट भारतीय दंड संहिता (1860 का 45) की धारा 498क या उस संहिता के किसी अन्य प्रावधान या दहेज प्रतिषेध अधिनियम, 1961 (1961 का 28) के अधीन भी आरोप तय कर सकता है, यदि तथ्य उन प्रावधानों के अधीन किसी अपराध के किए जाने को प्रकट करते हैं।