Man holds grudge against stepmother, loses 50% share in father’s flat

The SDO declared the transfer of 50% share of the son as illegal after it noticed that although the man was willing to take care of his father, he did not want his father’s second wife to live with them.

Holding a grudge against his stepmother has cost a city resident dear as he lost 50% share in his father’s residential flat.

The Bombay high court last week upheld the order of a sub-divisional revenue officer, declaring the transfer of 50% share of the flat of the petitioner’s father to him as illegal (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The Bombay high court (HC) last week upheld the order of a sub-divisional revenue officer (SDO), declaring the transfer of 50% share of the flat of the petitioner’s father to him as illegal. The SDO declared this after it noticed that although the man was willing to take care of his father, he did not want his father’s second wife to live with them.

After the petitioner’s mother died four years ago, his father remarried. On his son’s insistence, the senior citizen executed a gift deed on May 23, 2014, and transferred 50% share of his flat in a housing society to his son. However, after that, the petitioner and his wife started insulting their stepmother,compelling the newly-weds to move out.

The petitioner’s father then approached the SDO invoking provisions of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. Acting on his complaint, the SDO on March 6, 2017, declared the transfer of 50% share as illegal, under sections 5 and 23 of the Act.

The petitioner then approached the HC last year, challenging the SDO order. A division bench of Justice Ranjit More and Justice Anuja Prabhudessai on June 4, dismissed his petition.