Supreme Court Directs Employer to Deduct Rs 25,000 from Father’s Salary for Child Maintenance

In an effort to ensure the welfare and maintenance of the minor child, the Supreme Court of India has directed the employer company to deduct Rs 25,000 directly from the salary of the respondent-husband and transfer it to his wife.

The case is about a couple, Dimpal (petitioner) and Nishant Pravinhai Soni (respondent), who have been living separately since 2022. For the past four years, the husband has not given any financial support to his wife or even his four-year-old daughter, whom he has not met in these four years.

The Supreme Court, in an earlier order, had directed the husband to deposit Rs 25,000 for the travel expenses of the wife and child. However, the husband did not follow this order.

The court noted that there was an interim maintenance order passed by the Nashik Magistrate, and the husband has unpaid maintenance dues of Rs 1,38,000.

An affidavit filed by Nishant Soni revealed that he earns Rs 50,000 per month. When the court asked him whether he wanted to deposit Rs 2.5 lakh, including the pending maintenance, he refused to pay anything to his wife and minor daughter.

The court noted that the petitioner takes care of her four-year-old daughter, and for the welfare of the daughter, the Supreme Court directed Nishant Soni’s employer to deduct Rs 25,000 from his monthly salary and transfer it directly to Dimpal Soni’s bank account.