Court asks husband to pay maintenance under Domestic Violence Act

Jaipur, Nov 15 (UNI) A city court here has ordered a husband to pay maintenance to his estranged wife in the first case lodged under the Domestic Violence Act in Rajasthan.

Santosh Chauhan, a resident of Jawahar Nagar, had lodged the state's first case under the Domestic Violence Act last week, accusing her husband Hiralal Chauhan of torturing her physically and mentally for dowry.

She had said, in her complaint, that she was beaten up everyday by her husband, in-laws and relatives, who even ousted her and their two children out of their house in Kotputli. She had said the beatings increased after the birth of their first daughter. It didn't stop even after the birth of their second child- a son.

Santosh had moved the court under Sections 18,19 and 20 of the newly enacted Domestic Violence Act, seeking orders for protection and maintenance from her husband.

Judicial Magistrate Israr Khokar, who heard the case passed an order on Monday directing Hiralal to pay his wife a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 while rejecting his plea that Santosh had slapped a false case of dowry harrasment and had left the house on her own.

The court ordered Hiralal to pay maintenance till the final disposal of the case. Hiralal was also cautioned against indulging in any act of violence against his wife or threatening her.

UNI RRT PA DS1404