Mumbai: Observing that the woman was prima facie subjected to domestic violence at the hands of the man, a magistrate’s court on Tuesday ordered a state cabinet minister to pay a total interim monthly maintenance of Rs 2 lakh to his estranged first wife and unmarried daughter. The woman filed a domestic violence case against the man in 2022 and sought interim maintenance of Rs five lakh for each of her two children and herself and Rs 25 lakh as interim compensation.
“It appears that the relations between them are strained, and inference can be drawn that, as the respondent (man) is denying the marital status of applicant No 1 (woman), she is emotionally abused by the respondent, which amounts to domestic violence. Therefore, I hold applicant No 1 prima facie proved that she was subjected to domestic violence at the hands of the respondent,” judicial magistrate (first class) A B Jadhav said. The magistrate also said the man denying conjugal rights to the woman amounts to domestic violence.
While Rs 1.25 lakh is to be paid to the wife, Rs 75,000 is for the daughter. “Being son applicant No 2, after attending the majority, is not entitled to maintenance from the respondent,” the magistrate said. The minister was also directed to pay Rs 25,000 as costs of the application.
The magistrate also directed the man not to cause any kind of domestic violence to the woman until the final decision on the proceedings. “The applicant (woman) has filed on record the copy of a report dated August 24, 2023, that three unknown persons pelted stones on the car of the applicant, the photographs also supported the version… I have concluded that applicant No 1 was subjected to domestic violence at the hands of the respondent. The applicant is apprehensive that the respondent will cause her domestic violence in the future also,” the magistrate said.
In her complaint, the woman said she married the man in 1998 and had two children. They belonged to different castes, and until 2018, they had a harmonious relationship. After this, the man began to ignore the family, she alleged. The woman further contended that as an MLA with party responsibilities, the man was frequently away from Mumbai. She discovered he married another woman. When questioned, the man allegedly admitted to the second marriage, claiming it was due to societal pressures and family influence, and that it was necessary to maintain his reputation.