Bombay High Court sends man to civil prison for not paying maintenance to wife, kids
The Bench criticized the husband, a doctor, for disregarding his wife and children's well-being and failing to comply with court orders to pay maintenance.
Mar 10, 2025, 04:44 IST
The Bombay High Court recently sentenced a doctor to six months in civil prison for repeatedly refusing to pay maintenance to his wife and two children despite multiple court orders. [Dr Sangita Ganvir v Dr Manish Ganvir]
The Bombay High Court has sentenced Dr. Manish Ganvir to six months in civil prison for willfully disobeying multiple court orders to pay maintenance to his wife and two children. The court found that his repeated non-compliance caused prolonged hardship to his family.
Background of the Case
Dr. Ganvir and his wife married in 2002 but began experiencing marital conflicts in 2009, leading him to file for divorce the same year. The family court dismissed his divorce petition in 2015. In 2019, the Bombay High Court directed Dr. Ganvir to pay ₹35,000 per month in maintenance to his wife and two daughters. Despite this order, he consistently failed to make the payments, prompting his wife to file a contempt petition in July 2019.
Court's Observations
A bench comprising Justices GS Kulkarni and Advait M. Sethna expressed strong disapproval of Dr. Ganvir's conduct, stating, "The contemnor has no respect for the rule of law and no regard for the orders passed by this Court." The court noted that his deliberate non-compliance demonstrated a blatant disregard for legal obligations and caused significant hardship to his family.
Legal Proceedings and Evasion Attempts
Over the years, Dr. Ganvir made multiple attempts to evade court proceedings, including avoiding service of notices and filing unsuccessful appeals up to the Supreme Court. The court emphasized that the maintenance order had attained finality and that his continued defiance constituted an act of "open defiance."
Sentencing
Given his persistent non-compliance and lack of respect for the rule of law, the court sentenced Dr. Ganvir to six months in civil prison. As he was present during the hearing, he was immediately ordered to surrender at the High Court Police Station and taken into custody.
This case underscores the judiciary's commitment to enforcing maintenance orders and upholding the rule of law, particularly when non-compliance results in hardship for dependents.