Kiran Jyot Maini v. Anish Pramod Patel

Held: Both the parties have high standards of living, which the appellant-wife continued to enjoy after their separation as well – Though both of them are well qualified and gainfully employed, the respondent earns approximately five times the monthly income of the appellant – Respondent has certain obligations towards three dependants, his own expenses, and certain bank loans, but he also evidently has the financial capacity to maintain his former wife – He has the legal obligation as also the financial capacity to maintain his wife after dissolution of marriage – Award of maintenance or permanent alimony should not be penal but should be for the purposes of ensuring a decent living standard for the wife – Keeping in view the social and financial status of the parties, their current employments as well as future prospects, standards of living, and their obligations, liabilities, and other expenses, respondent to pay Rs.2 Crores towards permanent alimony to the appellant within the time stipulated. [Paras 30, 32-34] Maintenance – Permanent alimony – Fair amount of – Law as regards adjudication and determination of one-time settlement – Factors to be considered – Discussed. Case Law Cited Hitesh Bhatnagar v. Deepa Bhatnagar [2011] 6 SCR 118 : (2011) 5 SCC 234; Ashok Hurra v. Rupa Bipin Zaveri [1997] 2 SCR 875 : (1997) 4 SCC 226; Shilpa Sailesh v. Varun Sreenivasan [2023] 5 SCR 165 : (2022) 15 SCC 754; Vinny Paramvir Parmar v. Paramvir Parmar [2011] 9 SCR 371 : 2011 (13) SCC 112; Vishwanath Agrawal v. Sarla Vishwanath Agrawal [2012] 7 SCR 607 : (2012) 7 SCC 288; Rajnesh v. Neha and Another [2020] 13 SCR 1093 : (2021) 2 SCC 32 – relied on. Kiran Jyot Maini v. Anish Pramod Patel 944 [2024] 7 S.C.R.