She was told to return to her parents' home twice as she had failed to bring dowry.
The Family Court has awarded maintenance to a 22-year-old woman who had been driven away from her husband’s home for trying to be financially independent, for wearing jeans and for allegedly not bringing dowry.
Principal judge Laxmi Rao awarded maintenance of Rs8,000 a month to Meena after her husband, Kamlesh (both names changed), threw her out of his house in March 2011 — about three months after their wedding. The couple lived with Kamlesh’s parents at Ambernath in Thane district.
Meena’s lawyer, A Aliappa, said that trouble started within a fortnight of their wedding as Kamlesh objected to Meena’s wearing jeans and kurtas and insisted that she only wear sarees. His family also demanded Rs1 lakh from Meena’s father and often abused her verbally.
Meena’s court petition alleges that Kamlesh demanded that she leave her job or avail of a loan from her company. If not, he told her to bring money from her parents, states Meena’s court petition. Within a couple of months she was told to return to her parents’ house twice as she had failed to bring any dowry.
Not stopping at that, Kamlesh allegedly continued to harass Meena by sending vulgar messages on her cell-phone and her parents’ phones. She filed a complaint in connection with the same at Tilak Nagar police station on June 24, 2011.
Seeking maintenance, Meena has claimed that Kamlesh works at a business process outsourcing firm and earns Rs 28,000 a month.
After receiving a court notice, Kamlesh appeared before the judge only once.
Judge Rao noted in her order: “However, thereafter the respondent [Kamlesh] never remained present before this court. He also did not file his written statement… In such circumstances, whatever the petitioner [Meena] has stated in her petition and affidavit has gone unchallenged.
Therefore, I have no alternative but to accept the same as it is.’
Observing that “in spite of having sufficient means, the respondent has refused and neglected to maintain Meena, the judge has directed him to pay Rs8,000 per month as maintenance.
Torture started soon after wedding
The trouble started within a fortnight of the wedding as Kamlesh objected to Meena’s wearing jeans and kurtas and insisted that she only wear sarees. His family also demanded Rs1 lakh from Meena’s father and often abused her verbally
Seeking maintenance, Meena has claimed that Kamlesh works at a business process outsourcing firm and earns Rs 28,000 a month.
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