An estranged couple has been directed by a Delhi court to pay a joint maintenance of over Rs 36,000 per month to their five-year-daughter, who lives with her mother, considering that both the parents were ready to maintain her.
After assessing the couple's individual income, the court asked the man and woman to pay Rs 28,500 and Rs 7,714 monthly respectively to the child and the amount should be deposited in a joint bank account of the minor with her mother.
"Now though the child is young child of about five years but it cannot be said that she is not having expenses especially schooling, clothing etc.
"In these circumstances, the child is entitled for 1/7th of the income of her parents i.E. She is entitled for Rs 7,714 per month from her mother and Rs 28,500 per month from her father," Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Pandit said.
Apart from this, the father would also pay Rs 5,000 to the minor which he was already paying her voluntarily, the court said and added that he should not withdraw this amount.
The court's order came on separate appeals filed by the man and the woman against the order of a trial court which had directed the man to pay Rs 15,000 per month to the child.
The woman had filed a case seeking maintenance from her estranged husband to whom she had got married in June 2010 and a girl child was born to them in August 2011 and after sometime, there was matrimonial discord between the couple.
While the man worked in KMPG Advisory Service, the woman was a Scientist Grade-D in DRDO.
The sessions court noted that though several issues were raised in the appeals, during the course of hearing the appeals both the parties jointly agreed that they were ready to maintain their child as per the financial status of her parents.
