IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

116-2 Date of decision: 13.03.2026 MANISH RAJOTIA PETITIONER VERSUS ANNU SHARMA AND ANOTHER RESPONDENTS CORAM: HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE SHALINI SINGH NAGPAL Present: Mr. S.K. Aggarwal, Advocate and Mr. A.V.S. Parmar, Advocate for the petitioner.

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Shalini Singh Nagpal, J. (ORAL)

1. Order dated 24.08.2022 of learned Principal Judge, Family Court, Rohtak, awarding maintenance to the tune ₹18,000/- per month to petitioner No.1 and ₹25,000/- per month to petitioner No.2 from the date of filing of the application along with litigation expenses of ₹11,000/- has been assailed in the present petition. Prayer in the petition is for setting aside the order dated 24.08.2022.

2. For clarity and better appreciation, the parties shall be referred as husband, wife and child.

3. The wife and the minor daughter filed application under Section 125 Cr.P.C., averring that marriage of the husband and the wife was solemnized as per Hindu rites and ceremonies on 19.11.2015 at Rohtak. Out of the wedlock, a female child was born on 28.10.2016. Despite sufficient expenditure incurred in the marriage by parents of the wife and dowry articles given, the husband and his family members were not satisfied. Even before marriage, demands for i10 Car, electronic goods, furniture were raised and fixed deposit of ₹6,95,000/- was given to the husband and his mother. The wife was treated with cruelty, forced to consume liquor, abused in the presence of relatives and taunted for bringing inferior quality dowry articles. Demand of ₹10,00,000/- was raised by the husband for purchase of Verna Car. His mother and sisters used abusive, unparliamentary language for the wife and instigated him against her. Repeated demands for dowry and car were raised and when the wife expressed her inability to satisfy the demands, she was kept without meals. The husband consumed alcohol on daily basis and harassed the wife on instigation of his mother and the sisters. When the husband and his family members learnt that she was carrying a female child, she was pressurized and threatened to get an abortion. She was forced to consume medicine for abortion and when she refused, she was beaten and thrown out of matrimonial home. When her brother came to fetch her, he was abused and not allowed to enter the house. While she was leaving, she was threatened by the husband and his family members not to return until their demands were fulfilled and the pregnancy was aborted. All expenses of delivery of the child were borne by her parents. Panchayats were convened but to no avail. The wife was pressurized to agree for a divorce or to pay ₹10,00,000/-. Several efforts were made for reconciliation but the husband and his family members remained adamant in their demands and threatened to implicate the wife and her parents in false cases. Dowry articles given at the time of marriage were in possession of the husband and his family members who refused to return the same.

4. The wife further pleaded that the husband was able bodied, rich and was leading a luxurious life. He worked as a Chief Manager (Priority Sales), Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd., New Delhi earning ₹15,00,000/- per annum. He also had liaisons with real estate companies at Gurugram and earned handsome commissions through property deals. He owned Mahindra Scorpio S10 car and immovable properties at Bahadurgarh, Gurugram and village Siwana, District Jhajjar. He had several bank accounts with good bank balance, investments, FDRs and his monthly income from all sources was more than ₹2,00,000/- per month. He did not give a single penny as maintenance to the wife and the child. He had no other liability and his mother was a pensioner. The wife had no movable or immovable property in her name and was working as a teacher at Ganga Institute of Architecture, Village Kablana, District Jhajjar earning ₹30,000/- per month. The child was a Nursery Class student and her tuition fee was ₹16,800/- per month. Th