‘Rolling in Money’: Court Slams Husband, Hikes Wife’s Compensation from ₹5 Lakh to ₹1 Crore

New Delhi: A sessions court in Mumbai has increased the compensation granted to a woman in a domestic violence case from ₹5 lakh to a whopping ₹1 crore, calling the original amount “meagre” and slamming the husband a businessman, for downplaying his wealth.

The court also enhanced the monthly maintenance granted to the woman and her daughter from ₹1 lakh to ₹1.5 lakh, taking into account the “physical and mental torture” the woman endured for nearly two decades.

‘Torture, Humiliation and Economic Abuse for 20 Years’

The 41-year-old woman, a housewife, had approached the Dindoshi sessions court after a magistrate in February 2020 granted her only ₹5 lakh compensation under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act.

In her plea, the woman alleged a long history of physical, emotional, and financial abuse by her husband and in-laws since her marriage in December 1997. She described repeated beatings, taunts, assaults, and economic control that pushed her to finally seek legal relief.

Court: Husband Is Financially Sound, “Rolling in Money”

Additional Sessions Judge S J Ansari observed that the husband — who runs an elevator company — and his family are financially well-off, owning land and property worth over ₹1 crore as early as 2012.

The court rejected the husband’s claim that he was facing financial difficulties. “He being in a position to purchase properties worth ₹1 crore in 2012, and presently running an elevator company, will surely be rolling in money,” the court said.

Children Estranged, Mother Isolated

The court noted the emotional trauma suffered by the woman, stating that she now also has to live with the pain of being estranged from her twin sons. It observed that the husband may have influenced the sons against their mother a fact that could not be overlooked.

Calling out the initial ₹5 lakh compensation as too little, Judge Ansari remarked that the amount failed to reflect the scale of abuse and the financial status of the husband.

“The same requires a very substantial enhancement so as to actually compensate the complainant for the 20 years of torture, humiliation, economic abuse, taunts, etc., undergone by her at the hands of the respondent no. 1,” the order stated.