Bombay high court asks Om Puri and his wife to settle dispute amicably

The Bombay high court suggested that actor Om Puri and his estranged wife, Nandita Puri, should try to amicably settle their matrimonial dispute.

Justice Revati Mohite-Dere has asked the couple on Monday to appear in her chamber on April 16, to work out a solution.

The judge suggested an amicable settlement while hearing an appeal filed by the actor challenging the order of the family court.

In October 2013, the family court had directed Om Puri to pay Rs1.25 lakh and Rs50,000 monthly maintenance to his wife and son respectively.

Om Puri's advocate, Mrinalini Deshmukh, informed the HC that the actor had already been paying a monthly maintenance of Rs1.15 lakh to Nandita voluntarily. The family court directed to pay maintenance in addition to the amount already being paid.

Deshmukh said that ever since the couple separated, On Puri has been paying Rs1.15 lakh every month as maintenance to Nandita. "He has also been taking care of the educational expenses of his child and other house maintenance. The couple had arrived at a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by which they had agreed for a divorce by mutual consent," said Deshmukh.

Justice Dere said that if both the parties were willing then the matter could be settled amicably.

"If the parties have signed an MoU then why cannot this be settled? If everything is amicable, then what is the point of all this? Work out something," said Justice Dere.