Mumbai: The Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court, Bandra, has ordered Minister Dhananjay Munde, a senior leader of the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP, to pay interim maintenance of Rs 2 lakh per month to his estranged wife and daughter. The ruling came as part of a case filed under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.

Judicial First Class Magistrate AB Jadhav, while partially allowing the applications filed by the estranged wife and two children, observed that Munde had “prima facie” subjected her to domestic violence.

The court, however, said that since the son had reached adulthood, he is not entitled to maintenance. It ordered Munde to pay Rs 1.25 lakh to Karuna and Rs 75,000 to his daughter as interim maintenance till the petition is decided. The court also asked him to pay Rs 25,000 towards litigation.

Karuna claimed that she had got married to Munde in 1998 and it was a “love marriage and intercaste marriage. She alleged that Munde’s behaviour changed in 2018 when he began neglecting her and later married another woman under family pressure. She accused Munde of threatening her, saying her presence in his native place would “destroy his political career”.

She also accused him of physical and emotional abuse, and claimed that Munde’s associates assaulted her and harassed her sister.

In his defence, Munde denied the marriage and argued that there was no domestic relationship between them. He claimed the petitioner, a successful businesswoman with multiple income sources, did not need maintenance.

Munde also alleged that her petition was a retaliatory action against a civil suit he had filed against her in the Bombay High Court for defamation. However, the court rejected Munde’s defence, pointing to evidence that contradicted his claims.

“Further, from the affidavit submitted by the respondent to election commission dated 23/10/2024 for the election of Parli legislative constituency, the respondent has shown the applicant No 2 and No 3 are depend upon him,” the court noted, adding that this contradicted his denial of a domestic relationship with Karuna.

Regarding the issue of maintenance, the Court acknowledged that while Karuna had some income, Munde’s financial situation was stronger. As a result, Munde was ordered to pay Rs 1.25 lakh per month to the estranged wife and Rs 75,000 per month to his daughter as interim maintenance, effective from the date of the application.