Mumbai| Son’s responsibility to maintain 98-yr-old mother: Court

Mumbai: A magistrate court has directed a 72-year-old man, a retired manager at a private company, to pay a temporary monthly maintenance of Rs20,000 to his 98-year-old mother and said that “being a son, it is his responsibility to maintain her”.

The mother had approached the court for monetary as well as other reliefs from her son, his wife and their daughter. She had complained that they were harassing her and wanted her out of the flat where they were living together.

The nonagenarian has been living there for 50 years now as it is her matrimonial home. After the death of her husband, she was the nominee in the property. She told the court that she had even constructed extra space in the flat to accommodate her son’s family. 

The woman said her son was drawing a pension as well as getting money from consultancy services. She had sought that he pay her Rs35,000 every month, remove himself and family from the flat and urged the court to direct them to stop subjecting her to domestic violence. 

From copies of her complaints filed in the police station, the court held that prima facie she is being subjected to domestic violence and it’s necessary to grant a protection order in her favour.

In the order, Metropolitan Magistrate CP Kashid considered the documents that the son has sufficient income to maintain himself, his family and his mother. The court said that considering the needs of the applicant, income source of her son, his responsibilities and medical expenses and today’s dearness, she is entitled to monthly expenses of Rs20,000 from him. It found her demand of Rs35,000 excessive.