A Delhi court has directed a man to pay Rs 10,000 per month as interim maintenance to his estranged wife, residing at her parental house along with her son due to alleged harassment by her husband and in-laws.
District Judge R K Gauba asked the man, a Delhi resident, to pay the maintenance while dismissing his contention that he is earning only Rs 5,000 per month.
"From the pleadings, it is clear that the prima facie case of domestic violence has been made out. The issues of fact naturally will have to be resolved and determined after a full fledged inquiry which would be taken up by metropolitan magistrate in due course.
"In the given facts and circumstances, however, there can be no doubt that wife and the child are entitled to interim relief in the nature of maintenance allowance," the court said.
The district judge's order came on an appeal filed by the man against the magisterial court April 4 decision which had allowed the estranged wife's plea seeking interim maintenance from her husband, whom she had married in 2005 and has a son.
The man had contended that his wife is earning enough and has sufficient means to maintain herself.
The judge, however, turned down the man's plea, saying "no concrete proof in such regard has been submitted".
The woman had alleged before the trial court that huge money was spent on their marriage but her in-laws were not happy with the dowry.
She had further said that her parents were "frequently and regularly mentally harassed" by her in-laws who used to make unjustified demand of gold ornaments, clothes, furniture and other articles.
