MUMBAI: Observing that a qualified woman doctor was not entitled to maintenance from her husband, a magistrate court has refused to grant interim maintenance to a city-based dentist.
The woman had told the court that she had been a housewife since 2018 and her estranged husband, son of a two-time MLA who died last year, was in the construction business.
The court, though, said, "The applicant (woman) is a doctor. She resides in a metropolitan city.
She is expected to do medical profession as a dentist and very easily she can get opportunity to do such a job in Mumbai.
The court noted that the absence of efforts on her part to cohabit with her husband "goes against her", so did her intention to live in the city when her matrimonial home was in another state.
The woman had sought over Rs 1 lakh as monthly maintenance and Rs 40,000 towards rent.
She said the man lived in a seven-bedroom home with five bathrooms and a garden.
The family owned four cars and a motorcycle. She said that her brother had also "gifted" her in-laws a car they demanded.
The woman had filed a domestic violence complaint last year against her husband and mother-in-law.
The husband denied the allegations of violence and cruelty.
He said the woman left their matrimonial home on her own, without any reason and without giving information to his family.
The husband claimed that she did not return home despite efforts made by them and wanted to settle down in Mumbai.
The husband said this was not possible for him.