Supreme Court Orders Sale of Shops to Pay Maintenance to Abandoned Wife
The Supreme Court of India has directed the Registrar of the Delhi High Court to sell six shops owned by a man’s father and deposit the money in a fixed deposit to cover maintenance arrears for his abandoned wife, Shilpi Srivastava.
Case Background
- Shilpi, a native of Chhattisgarh, married Varun Gopal but was abandoned after two years of marriage.
- Varun moved to Australia, remarried, and had two children from his second marriage.
- A family court in Bilaspur initially awarded Shilpi ₹1 lakh per month in maintenance.
- Later, she appealed to the Chhattisgarh High Court, demanding an increase to ₹1.27 lakh per month, arguing that Varun earned ₹4.25 lakh per month.
Legal Battle and Supreme Court Involvement
- Shilpi filed a case for unpaid maintenance of ₹1.25 crore.
- She also accused Varun and his family of cheating, leading to Varun’s father, Mohan Gopal, being jailed for 10 months in 2018-19.
- Varun ignored court orders and refused to appear in India for maintenance hearings.
- Shilpi requested the Supreme Court to transfer some shops owned by her father-in-law to her name so she could earn from the rent.
Court’s Decision
Varun’s father argued that he was not legally responsible for paying his son’s wife.
However, the Supreme Court Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Aravind Kumar ruled that:
- Both Varun Gopal and his father had intentionally delayed payments.
- It was their responsibility to comply with previous court orders.
- The six shops would be sold, and the proceeds would be used for maintenance.
Final Verdict
The Supreme Court upheld its decision, ensuring that the abandoned wife receives her rightful maintenance. Varun’s persistent refusal to pay led to his father’s property being used to settle the dues.
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