In Brief
A wife filed for maintenance under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code after her husband, a Canadian permanent resident with high educational qualifications (B.Com, M.A., MBA), abandoned her shortly after their marriage in 2002 and returned to Canada. The Family Court awarded maintenance only until 2010, which the High Court partially increased to Rs. 9,000/month thereafter based on notional minimum wages. The Supreme Court held that the respondent's claim of unemployment was specious and distinguished the High Court's approach. It enhanced maintenance to Rs. 20,000/month from January 2010 and Rs. 25,000/month from June 2018, considering his education, prior income exceeding Rs. 1.77 lakh/month, and interim maintenance previously awarded by the Court.
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