Mumbai man who didn’t pay maintenance for 15 months can’t meet his 10-year-old daughter

Mumbai city news: He has sought that the order be modified and the amount for maintenance be reduced. On Tuesday, the wife’s lawyer said that he had not paid maintenance, as ordered by the Family Court, for a long time and it was creating problems in the child’s education

The Bombay high court on Tuesday barred a man from meeting his 10-year-old daughter because he had not paid for her maintenance for the past 15 months.

The court was hearing appeal filed by the man challenging a January 6, 2016 order of the family court at Bandra.(HT)

“We are not inclined to consider your plea to modify the order or your request for access to the child, unless you clear the arrears,” said the division bench of Justice RM Savant and Justice Sadhana Jadhav. “You must show bona fides,” they said.

The court added, “This is not the question of maintaining your wife, it is about the maintenance of your daughter.” 

The court was hearing appeal filed by the man challenging a January 6, 2016 order of the family court at Bandra. The court had ordered the man to pay Rs15,000 as monthly maintenance to his daughter and a certain sum to his wife. Besides, he has also sought access to his 10-year-old daughter, whose custody has been given to the wife. 

He has sought that the order be modified and the amount for maintenance be reduced. On Tuesday, the wife’s lawyer said that he had not paid maintenance, as ordered by the Family Court, for a long time and it was creating problems in the child’s education. The lawyer added that Rs 6,000 was her monthly school fee. 

The husband, who appeared in person, said that he had paid maintenance up to April 2016. 

“Your daughter stays with your estranged wife, but you are equally responsible and must provide for her,” said the bench. 

The court has now posted the husband’s appeal for further hearing on July 27 and warned him that his appeal would be dismissed if he failed to deposit Rs1.5 lakh to the court.