The Court also quashed all pending proceedings — including Bar Council disciplinary complaints filed by the husband’s advocates — and rejected the husband’s ₹20 crore counter-claim for “mental trauma.” Furthermore, the case emphasized that the wife’s professional qualification is no ground to deny maintenance.
Key Holdings At A Glance
- Marriage dissolved under Article 142 due to irretrievable breakdown.
- Wife granted full custody of two minor sons; husband allowed visitation every second weekend and half of vacations.
- Husband ordered to pay ₹5 crore within one year covering alimony, maintenance arrears, child support, and legal costs.
- Over 80 pending civil, criminal, and Bar Council complaints—including those against wife’s lawyers—quashed.
- Husband’s ₹5 lakh cost penalty included within the ₹5 crore settlement.
- Husband must give an undertaking not to pursue further litigation.
- Husband’s ₹20 crore counter-claim for mental trauma rejected.
Background
The couple married in 2010 and separated in 2016, with two minor sons in the wife’s custody. The Family Court awarded interim maintenance of ₹80,000 monthly, which the husband repeatedly defaulted on, accruing over ₹31 lakh in arrears. Due to delays and litigation tactics, the wife sought Supreme Court intervention.
Supreme Court Proceedings: Wife’s Professional Qualification No Ground To Deny Maintenance
The husband, a lawyer, filed multiple proceedings against the wife and her advocates, which the Court termed “vindictive and vexatious.” His Article 32 petition alleging rights violations was dismissed with costs. The Court stayed all ongoing cases initiated by him against the wife’s legal team.
Both sought divorce under Article 142, but with conflicting demands on alimony, property, and custody.
Court’s Observations and Final Directions
The Court condemned the husband’s financial evasions and litigation misuse, rejected his claims against the wife’s professional status reducing maintenance, and upheld the wife’s relocation of the children as protective.
It dissolved the marriage, quashed all pending proceedings between parties, granted full custody to the wife with visitation rights for the husband, and ordered ₹5 crore payment to the wife within a year. The wife must vacate the matrimonial home (owned by husband’s father) after receiving payment. The husband must undertake to cease further litigation or face consequences.
The Court held that a wife’s educational or professional qualifications cannot be used as a ground to escape the husband’s obligation to maintain his wife and children.
The Court rejected the husband’s demands for immediate possession of the flat, custody, and ₹20 crore compensation.
Case Title: XXX Vs. YYY
Court: Supreme Court of India
Bench: Hon’ble Mr. Justice Vikram Nath & Hon’ble Mr. Sandeep Mehta
Case No: Civil Appeal No. (Arising out of SLP (Civil) No. 28311/2024
Date of Judgment: April 07, 2026
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