Allahabad High Court Denies Maintenance to Wife for Suppressing Employment and Income

Prayagraj: In a significant ruling, the Allahabad High Court has held that a wife who is financially independent and deliberately conceals her employment and income from the court is not entitled to maintenance and deserves no judicial sympathy.

The court observed that a woman who is capable of maintaining herself cannot seek financial support from her husband by misleading the judiciary. Suppression of material facts, particularly regarding employment and earnings, amounts to abuse of the legal process.

Maintenance Claim Rejected Under CrPC Section 125

Justice Madanpal Singh, while allowing a criminal revision petition filed by the husband, set aside the Family Court’s earlier order that had directed him to pay maintenance. The High Court ruled that under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), a wife who is gainfully employed and self-sufficient is not eligible for maintenance.

The court categorically stated that a litigant approaching the court must do so with clean hands, and concealment of crucial facts disentitles a party from any equitable relief.

Wife Earned ₹36,000 Per Month, Claimed to Be Unemployed

The case pertains to Gautam Buddh Nagar, where the husband argued that his wife had misled the lower court by falsely claiming she was unemployed. During the proceedings, it was revealed that the woman was postgraduate and was earning a monthly salary of ₹36,000, a fact she failed to disclose while seeking maintenance.

Taking note of these facts, the High Court ruled in favour of the husband and quashed the Family Court’s order.

Important Legal Precedent

Legal experts say the judgment reinforces the principle that maintenance laws are meant to protect the genuinely dependent, not to be used as a tool for unjust enrichment. The ruling also sends a strong message against misuse of maintenance provisions by concealing income details.

The decision is expected to serve as a key reference point in future maintenance-related disputes across the state.