Rs 2L/month to wife: Court rejects man's income dip

A Gurgaon family court has ruled that a man must continue paying Rs 2 lakh monthly maintenance to his estranged wife, despite his income tax return showing a 50% drop in his annual taxable income. The court dismissed the husband's claim of financial hardship, finding his explanation unsatisfactory. The husband's net annual salary is now estimated at Rs 36 lakh, with a home loan liability of around Rs 1.7 crore.

However, the court emphasized that education alone does not preclude one from receiving maintenance, and disputed allegations of undisclosed assets and foreign travel required further evidence at the interim stage. The court also ordered the husband to pay Rs 50,000 towards litigation expenses and to continue covering the children's educational costs.