The Supreme Court brought an end to a protracted eight-year matrimonial dispute by dissolving the marriage and granting the estranged wife a flat in Mumbai as alimony, while rejecting her extravagant claims for ₹12 crore, a BMW car, and additional compensation. The bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and NV Anjaria emphasized that the wife’s demands were disproportionate and unsupported, especially since both parties had already signed a detailed mutual settlement in 2022, wherein she accepted a Mumbai flat and two parking spots with no claim for additional maintenance.
The wife’s later allegations of coercion and fraud in signing the agreement were dismissed by the Court due to lack of evidence. Considering her educational qualifications as a graduate engineer and management professional, and her employment status at the time of separation, the Court concluded that she was not entitled to lifelong financial support. Furthermore, the Court noted the husband’s significant drop in income, from over ₹2.5 crore annually to under ₹18 lakh, and expressly rejected reliance on his LinkedIn profile as credible evidence of income.
The Court held that the earlier settlement was fair and reasonable, adequately providing for the wife’s post-divorce needs, and that further financial claims would impose an undue burden on the husband, who also has an autistic child to support. It quashed ongoing criminal proceedings related to the marriage and barred both parties from initiating any further litigation on the matter. The divorce will be finalized upon gifting of the flat and clearance of housing dues by August 30.
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