Maintenance and Alimony Laws in India have no timelines and estranged wives are eligible for lifelong maintenance, unless the husband pays up one time as demanded by the woman.
Bollywood actor Raghubir Yadav’s divorce-alimony case is back in the news, when his estranged wife Purnima Kharge has once again claimed that her husband has not being paying her maintenance.
Case –
Raghubir Yadav’s estranged wife Purnima has alleged that the actor has not been paying her alimony. The couple has been separated since 1995 – yes 26-years-ago!
Purnima recently told a leading daily,
Last year, there was a point where I was unpaid for 5 months. This delay in turn cost me my house in Yari Road. I couldn’t pay the rent in time and had to face humiliation. Thereafter, I am living on loans. Also, I had to mortgage my gold. This year too, I went unpaid for 4 months. Two months before the date in court, I was given Rs 80,000 which was for 2 months.
Purnima’s lawyer Ishika Tolani attacked the actor claiming that he is doing rather well in his career and his stance that he’s not in a position to pay the amount that Purnima has demanded is preposterous. She says,
My client has to bear the brunt of living such a hard life and Raghubir should pay up as per her expectations. Purnima has looked after their son as a mother and father both.
Tolani’s colleague Tooba Khan added,
Raghubir has deserted his wife and child. We even tried the mediation process but it didn’t work out.
Purnima also alleged that Raghubir has blocked their son’s number on his phone. Otherwise, they were in touch, off and on.
Raghubir Yadav’s Lawyer
On the other hand, Raghubir Yadav’s lawyer Shalini Devi told the daily that Purnima has been asking for an “exorbitant amount” which is why the alimony case continues to be dragged after all these years. The lawyer added,
Raghubir is 71-years-old and Purnima should rather understand.
Background –
Last year, Purnima, who is now 60-years-old, filed for divorce in Mumbai – after 25-years of separation. She also accused Raghubir of adultery and desertion. She is a former Kathak dancer and also has a 31-year-old son with Raghubir.
Purnima and Raghubir got married in 1988 and have been living separately since 1995. In her divorce petition, Purnima had demanded Rs 1 Lakh per month as interim maintenance and Rs 10 crore as alimony.
The Lagaan actor has not responded to the fresh allegations yet.
MDO Take:
- The biggest flaw in our matrimonial laws is that it does not have an end date to maintenance post separation
- A marriage can fail for various reasons, however, to keep either spouses legally hanging for life is just inhuman
- The couple lived together only for seven years (1988-1995) and living separately since 25-years
- Should a woman be allowed to keep demanding maintenance for life, with no onus on her to rebuild her professional life?
- The son is a 31-year-old man, who is supposed to be working and fend for himself, however, demanding maintenance and alimony to support a fully-grown man is simply atrocious
- Charges of adultery after 25-years makes no sense
- The woman claims to be living off loans, which means, she would have an income of her own as well
- The demand of Rs 10 crore comes after 25-years of separation, which means on the current income and assets of the husband
- Why wasn’t divorce filed by woman in early years of separation?
- Alimony cannot become an asset building exercise, where you allow an estranged husband work and earn for life, and then choose to demand one time settlement according to the timing chosen by wife
- How did the woman survive for 25-years? Who pays for the lawyer?
- These issues will not be resolved unless Government of India brings in fixed timeline to end dead relationships
- Until then, our courts will continue to remain flooded with meaningless ego battles
Do post your comments under this article and share what you feel about our 20th century matrimonial laws.
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This is really sad. There is no such rule to defend a man. In Indian society A man is born to work work and work and feed. He cannot have a good social life. If he get divorced also the estranged wife will torture like hell. Demanding now and then. There should be some laws where men too get freedom from all this things..