PRAYAGRAJ, March 26 -- The Allahabad high court has held that committing a person to a civil prison for default in paying maintenance to his wife or children does not absolve him of his legal liability to pay further monthly arrears.

A bench of justice Praveen Kumar Giri said that the doctrine of double jeopardy under Section 300 of the CrPC is entirely inapplicable to the execution of maintenance orders under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.

The bench added that maintenance proceedings result in neither a conviction nor an acquittal, and hence, the court refusing to execute an award of maintenance amount by invoking a plea under section 300 CrPC would be contrary to the law.

The court passed this order on Tues...