Court orders bar owner to pay ₹50,000 monthly maintenance to wife

Mumbai: The metropolitan magistrate court has directed a bar owner to pay a monthly maintenance of ₹50,000 to his wife in connection with a domestic violence case filed by her

Mumbai: The metropolitan magistrate court has directed a bar owner to pay a monthly maintenance of ₹50,000 to his wife in connection with a domestic violence case filed by her.

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The complainant, Gunjan, and her husband, Anil Singh, got married on March 2, 2016. In 2018, Gunjan left her matrimonial house. She claimed that her parents fulfilled all the dowry demands during their wedding, but despite that she was subjected to domestic violence on the count of nonfulfillment of the demands. The complainant claimed that the respondent used to demand ₹60 lakhs towards dowry and whenever she retorted back, she was subjected to verbal and physical abuse. She also claimed that she was subjected to unnatural sex.

The court, after receipt of the complaint in May 2021, issued notice to Singh and his family. However, since they did not appear, the plea was heard ex parte.

To prove Singh’s financial capacity, Gunjan claimed that he was running a popular bar, Barrel Mansion, and earning ₹10 lakh. He also owned lavish immovable properties and a four-wheeler costing to the tune of ₹36 lakh.

The court noted that “in order to judge the financial status and vis-à-vis the maintenance claimed, it is to be seen that soon after marriage the respondent No.1 took the applicant for honeymoon to Switzerland. Further, records show that he purchased an immovable property worth ₹1 crore. He also has residential premises at a key location in Andheri, which also runs in crores.”

Singh’s assets point towards financial well-being, while Gunjan has no means to maintain herself, the court noted. “In order to prevent her from destitution and vagrancy, she is entitled for interim maintenance,” the court said and directed Singh to pay ₹50,000 to Gunjan every month till her complaint is decided.

Gunjan has also filed a case with the MIDC police station for dowry harassment and for forcing her to have unnatural sex. She had alleged that Singh is very influential and close to senior police officials, and because of which her complaint was not being entertained. Singh was granted anticipatory bail by the sessions court observing that there was no need for his custodial interrogation.