Husband must continue maintenance payments despite unemployment: Karnataka High Court
Bengaluru: In a recent ruling, the High Court has said that a husband cannot evade the responsibility of providing maintenance to his divorced wife and child simply because he is currently unemployed. The decision came following a petition filed by an individual seeking to overturn the order of the Belagavi Family Court.
The petitioner, citing his unemployment as the reason for inability to pay maintenance, appealed to set aside the family court's order. However, the High Court, led by Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum, rejected this argument, asserting that the husband remains obligated to support his former spouse and minor child even after separation.
Acknowledging the economic challenges posed by inflation, the court upheld the family court's decision to grant interim relief, ordering the husband to pay Rs 7,000 for the wife and Rs 3,000 for the minor child per month, considering the cost of living in Belagavi city.
Despite the petitioner's loss of employment at the time of divorce, the court took into account the petitioner's family assets, including a commercial complex.
Consequently, the High Court dismissed the appeal, affirming the reasonableness of the maintenance order issued by the family court.
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Rs 23.8 crore scam: Relief money for natural calamity victims siphoned off to govt employees in MP
Bhopal: A massive financial irregularity has come to light in Madhya Pradesh, where Rs 23.81 crore, earmarked as relief aid for families of natural calamities and accidents, was siphoned into the accounts of government employees, their relatives, and other ineligible individuals across 13 districts, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
The CAG audit, as cited by The New Indian Express on Tuesday, revealed that the funds—intended to assist families affected by disasters such as lightning strikes, hailstorms, drought, excessive rain, floods, and accidents like snakebites and drowning—were misappropriated. The fraudulent transactions were reported across thirteen districts, including Seoni, Sheopur, Sehore, Shivpuri, Dewas, Chhatarpur, Khandwa, Mandsaur, Raisen, Damoh, Satna, Agar-Malwa, and Vidisha.
The audit report, tabled in the Vidhan Sabha, disclosed that of the total misappropriated sum, Rs 21.14 crore was transferred to unauthorised (ineligible) individuals, while Rs 2.67 crore was distributed to government employees and their relatives.
The investigation further revealed that government personnel exploited loopholes in the global budget system and the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) to facilitate the scam, TNIE added.
Fake sanction orders and fake beneficiaries were created on paper to authorise e-payments, diverting funds into unauthorised accounts.
Following the shocking revelations, disciplinary action has been initiated. In Seoni district, which witnessed the highest amount of fraud, four government employees, including a tehsildar and a naib tehsildar, have been suspended, while an FIR has been registered against another employee. In Sheopur, a district-level committee has been set up to identify those involved in the fraud. In Shivpuri, where relief funds meant for drought victims were siphoned off, one government staff has been suspended, and three others have been booked.
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