VARGHESE KURUVILA @ SUNNY KURUVILA Vs. ANNIE VARGHESE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This revision petition has been filed challenging the order dtd. 9/3/2021 passed by the Family Court, Ernakulam, in M.C.No. 306 of 2017.

(2.) The parties are Christians. The petitioner is the husband of respondent No.1 and father of respondent No.2. The respondents filed a maintenance case against the petitioner before the Family Court, Ernakulam, claiming monthly maintenance at the rate of Rs.30,000.00 and Rs.15,000.00, respectively. The Family Court, after trial, granted monthly maintenance at the rate of Rs.20,000.00 to the respondent No.1 and Rs.10,000.00 to the respondent No.2. The Family Court further granted Rs.30,000.00 to the respondent No.1 towards the educational expenditure of the respondent No.2 incurred by her from January 2017 to April 2017.

(3.) The learned counsel for the petitioner assailed the impugned order mainly on three grounds: (i) since the respondent No.2 was a major on the date of the petition, she is not entitled to claim maintenance, (ii) the respondent No.1 has been living separately without sufficient reason after deserting the petitioner and hence she is also not entitled for maintenance, and (iii) the respondent No.1 is employed and has sufficient means to maintain herself.