Indian professor in Austria asked to pay Rs 1.5 lakh alimony to wife

NEW DELHI: An Indian professor of a European university has been ordered by a Delhi court to pay a monthly maintenance of Rs 1.5 lakh to his estranged wife, living here.

Metropolitan Magistrate Pooja Talwar directed Prof Shahnawaz, Director of the South and South East Asian Wing of UNIGIS International of Austria's Salzburg University, to pay Rs 1.5 lakh per month as alimony to his wife living here at Jasola in South Delhi.

"As the salary of respondent (husband) is approximately Rs four lakhs a month, therefore, I am inclined to grant a maintenance of Rs 1.5 lakh per month to the complainant (wife)," the court said.

It added as per European standard, the man's estimated salary reflected on the website of European University Institute was about 76,850 Euros per year which would be approximately over Rs 50 lakh per annum.

Shahnawaz, working as a professor in Austria for past 10 years, did not contest his wife's plea for maintenance and the court proceeded to award alimony to his wife ex-parte.

"Since Shahnawaz has not appeared to contest the case, therefore, he is deemed to have accepted the allegations levelled by the complainant. Prima facie, a case of domestic violence is made out against him," the court said.