PUKKODAN SUNIL KUMAR Vs. ODERAN LEELA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Appellant is the former husband of the respondent. The family court directed the former to pay maintenance to the latter at the rate of Rs.1, 500/- per month for twenty five months.

(2.) The case of the respondent is as follows: The parties are hindus. They married on 1.5.2005. She had to live away from him owing to matrimonial cruelty. Her gold ornaments were taken and appropriated by him. She was subjected to cruelty not only by him, but by his relatives too. She was taken to her house on 16.5.2005 by him and he left her there. Thereafter he deserted her. He did not pay maintenance to her after the separate stay. She is without any income to maintain herself. He is a driver. He has landed properties. He is getting a monthly income of Rs.14, 000/-.

(3.) The appellant filed counter-statement opposing the petition. His contentions go as under: The spouses resided together only for fifteen days. The respondent on 16.5.2005 went to her house of her own. He was told that she had to attend a feast. She refused to come back. Mediators intervened, but of no avail. He caused to issue a lawyer notice wanting her to come back. But she did not. She issued a false reply notice. She is not entitled to past maintenance as she lived away from him without any reasonable cause. She even filed a false criminal case against him. He is not a driver, but a coolie. He does not have any other source of income. The claim against him is liable to be dismissed.