Bombay HC grants Rs 20,000 maintenance to educated, unemployed wife

NAGPUR: Observing that an educated wife cannot be denied maintenance merely because she possesses professional qualifications, the Nagpur Bench of Bombay high court recently enhanced monthly maintenance payable to a woman and her minor son from 11,000 to 20,000.Justice MM Nerlikar dismissed a criminal revision petition filed by a man from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu challenging the Nagpur family court's maintenance order. The court increased the wife's maintenance from 6,000 to 11,000 per month, and the son's from 5,000 to 9,000.The husband, an assistant professor, argued his wife, who holds a master's degree in computer applications (MCA), resigned from her teaching job in 2016 solely to claim maintenance. He alleged she concealed her employment, was subsequently working at another engineering college.The HC, however, found the husband failed to substantiate these claims.