Man fails to pay maintenance to estranged wife, faces arrest

The warrant was issued as neither the man nor his advocate was present for the hearing of the contempt petition filed by the man’s estranged wife despite being asked to do so.

The Bombay high court (HC) has issued an arrest warrant against a man who has not been paying a monthly maintenance of ₹43,000 to his estranged wife since July last year. The warrant was issued as neither the man nor his advocate was present for the hearing of the contempt petition filed by the man’s estranged wife despite being asked to do so.

The warrant was issued as neither the man nor his advocate was present for the hearing of the contempt petition filed by the man’s estranged wife despite being asked to do so. Image used for representational purpose only.

The man is a physical trainer and runs many fitness clubs in Pune.

According to the woman’s counsel, Siddheshwar Biradar, the man had secured dissolution of the couple’s marriage order from the Pune family court in 2017. However, as the order had no mention of the maintenance amount that he had to pay to the wife, she approached the HC to appeal against the family court order. The appeal sought maintenance for herself, her two sons aged nine and five, and an amount towards house rent.

The HC bench of justices KK Tated and BP Colabawalla on July 19, 2018, had directed the husband to pay ₹15,000 to the wife towards her expenses, ₹10,000 each towards the expenses of the two sons and ₹8,000 towards house rent. However as her husband failed to comply with the order, she filed a contempt petition against him on October 30, 2018.

After the fitness trainer and his advocate failed to be present for the hearing of the contempt petition last week, the bench of justices Akil Kureshi and SJ Kathawalla had, “as a last chance” asked the trainer to be present on Tuesday. However, as he failed to do so, the court issued an arrest warrant against him.

The couple had married in 2009. Owing to regular domestic disputes, the woman left her matrimonial home in 2015 and started residing separately with her sons.