The Delhi High Court has ordered former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to pay Rs 1.5 lakh per month as maintenance to his estranged wife Payal Abdullah. The trial court had ordered him to pay Rs 75,000 per month and Payal Abdullah moved the High Court seeking enhancement of the same.
The Court further said that though a father is not legally responsible for the college education of children who have turned major, Abdullah will pay Rs 60,000 for the education of their son, according to a report by Bar and Bench.
The order was passed on a plea by Payal Abdullah who had approached the High Court in July 2018 challenging an order of April 26, 2018 of the trial court, that ordered Omar Abdullah to pay Rs 75,000 per month. Payal Abdullah claimed that the maintenance awarded is too low and that their sons are not old enough to take care of their expenses.
Opposing the plea for maintenance, Omar Abdullah, had earlier told court that his estranged wife Payal Abdullah earns a significant income to lead a "lavish lifestyle" and therefore is not entitled to any maintenance. "She (Payal) has greater means than respondent (Omar) which has been tried to conceal," said a reply filed by Omar's counsel on being asked by the court.
