Woman gets Rs.6.7 mn as maintenance

NEW DELHI - Granting anticipatory bail to an NRI husband involved in a matrimonial dispute, the Delhi High Court Thursday awarded Rs.6.7 million as maintenance to his wife.

Justice Kailash Gambhir granted anticipatory bail to Ankur Sahni (name changed), a British national and a businessman, and directed him to pay the settlement amount to his wife Ritu (name changed) in three installments and file for mutual divorce.

Ankur had approached the court after Ritu filed two cases against him. He asked the court to grant him bail and allow him to go and look after his business abroad.

Advocate K.K. Manan, appearing on behalf of Ankur, submitted before the court that both parties had resolved all their disputes by entering into a settlement agreement under which the husband would pay Rs.6.7 million.

In view of the terms of the agreement, both the parties have agreed that the husband shall deposit a sum of Rs.32 lakhs (Rs.3.2 million) in a fixed deposit account favouring his wife and then two subsequent installments of Rs. 25 lakhs (Rs.2.5 million) and Rs.10 lakhs (Rs.1 million) will be deposited after the divorce proceedings by way of mutual consent get over, the judge said.

Ritu and Ankur got married on August 8, 2007 and left for England. But after six months, Ritu returned to her parents house due to a temperamental dispute between the two.

Ritu also lodged two cases of criminal breach of trust and attempt to murder against Ankur.

The court directed Ankur to approach the trial court where the cases are pending against him and take permission to travel abroad.

The husband shall take necessary steps to obtain the British passport of their minor son before finalizing the divorce proceedings, the judge added, while asking Ankur to furnish a personal bond and a surety bond of Rs. 50,000 for anticipatory bail.