RPF constable remarries, Jharkhand High Court orders Rs 30 lakh alimony to first wife

On August 6, the Jharkhand High Court ruled that a Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable must pay his ex-wife Rs 30 lakh as permanent alimony, including a one-time sum. The court emphasized that the alimony must ensure financial security for the wife and their son, while also reflecting the husband's income and the standard of living they enjoyed during the marriage.

The case involved a challenge to the husband's divorce decree under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, alleging cruelty by the wife. During the appeal, it emerged that the ex-husband had remarried, prompting the wife to seek permanent alimony for herself and their 11-year-old son. The court, comprising Justices Sujit Narayan Prasad and Sanjay Prasad, stated that there is no fixed formula for calculating permanent alimony.

The husband, however, earned a steady income and had savings and retirement benefits, while the wife lacked independent means to support herself and her son. The court ordered the husband to clear the maintenance arrears separately from the permanent alimony.