VALPOI COURT GRANTS HALF OF FATHER’S SALARY TO A MINOR BOY FOR MAINTENANCE

VALPOI: A local court at Valpoi recently granted maintenance amount of 1,900 per month to a nine-year-old boy, even as his father pleaded that he receives a net monthly salary of 3,800 after deductions.  The primary student had approached the court through his mother and had alleged that his father had ignored him since 2003 when his mother left her matrimonial house due to harassment.

The lad complained that his mother, a government servant, finds it extremely difficult to bear his medicine, education and maintenance expenses.

The minor pointed out that in 2007 he was operated and thousands of rupees were spent on his surgery and medication. During the hearing of the case, the father stated that his wife was instrumental in filing the application for maintenance and her aim was to harass him and "drag him into financial crisis".

The father brought to the notice of the court that his wife was receiving a monthly salary of 21,000. While pointing out that he is indebted, the father produced his salary slip in court to show that he gets 3,800 per month in hand, though his gross salary is 11,000.

The father further sought the dismissal of maintenance application as the mother was capable of maintaining the son. He also expressed his willingness to maintain the son if his custody was given to him.

While dismissing the father's prayer to give custody of his son, judicial magistrate first class Shubhada Dalvi observed, "Even if the respondent has produced on record his pay slip showing his net salary to be 3,800 and even if the same is presumed to be true, in my opinion the respondent cannot be allowed to escape from his duties and maintenance of 1,900 which would be half of 3,800."

The court has also ordered that the father continue paying maintenance till the son becomes self sufficient and capable of maintaining himself.  The boy is entitled to get the maintenance amount from September 2008 when he filed the application.