Punjab doc told to pay Rs 60,000 per month to two daughters

A Delhi court has directed a Punjab-based doctor to pay Rs 60,000 per month as maintenance to his two daughters, who are living with his estranged wife here.

The court, however, dismissed the plea of his wife, who is also a dentist, seeking alimony from her husband on the ground that she had concealed material facts and was not entitled to any relief at this stage.

Metropolitan magistrate Vandana Jain told the doctor to pay Rs 30,000 each per month as maintenance to his two daughters, aged six and 11, while dismissing his plea that he was not liable to maintain them as they had
refused to stay with the doctor.

"It is a settled proposition of law that the children are entitled to get maintenance from both the parents.

The plea of the counsel for the respondent (man) that since the children have refused to remain in his custody, he is not entitled to maintain them, cannot be entertained and this is a misconception.

The respondent being father is liable to maintain both the daughters. As far as the complainant (woman) is concerned, she is maintaining them. She is taking care of them alone as they are in her custody," the court said.

The couple had met during college days, fell in love and got married in 2000.

The woman, who along with their daughters is living in Delhi, had moved the court seeking maintenance for them from her estranged husband on the ground that he used to harass her and treat her cruelly following which she left him.

She alleged that he was earning Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4 lakh per month while he had not allowed her to continue her medical practice after marriage.

She had alleged that the man had his own dispensary and was working as a professor in a medical college in Punjab and was earning money from other movable and immovable assets.

The man, however, claimed that he was earning only Rs 50,000 per month and refuted the allegation that he had stopped his wife from continuing her profession after marriage.