SR CITIZENS FIGHT OVER FINANCES

Woman seeks 1cr alimony over hubby’s ‘Swiss bank a/c’

Shibu Thomas TNN 

Mumbai: Swiss bank accounts have the power to not just send politicians into a tizzy, but these days, it can cause minor tremors in divorce battles between warring couples. An account in a Swiss bank has surfaced in a more than a decade old legal fight between aSoBo couple—both senior citizens. Worli resident Seema Sadrangani has pointed to the Swiss bank account allegedly belonging to her former husband Mahesh Sadrangani, who lives in a sprawling flat at Cuffe Parade, to buttress her claim for a permanent onetime alimony of Rs 1 crore. 
    A division bench of Justice V M Kanade and Justice P D Kode last week asked the couple to try and arrive at a workable alimony which will ensure that Seema is looked after. “Seema is a senior citizen and may be required to spend money on medicines. Ensure a good maintenance so that she is cared for,” said Justice Kanade. 
    Seema and Mahesh—both in their 60s—have been fighting a divorce battle which has gone all the way to Supreme Court. While Mahesh stays in a2,000 sq ft flat in Cuffe Parade and owns a shop in south Mumbai, Seema lives in an 800 sq ft flat in Worli. As of now, Mahesh pays a monthly maintenance of Rs 20,000 to Seema. Her lawyer said it was not enough: “The cost of medicines works out to around Rs 11,000 per month,” the lawyer told the court. He also pointed 
to the existence of a Swiss bank account “with substantial money in dollars” belonging to the husband. 
    According to Seema, she had transferred money to this account to prove the existence of the account before the family court. Mahesh has denied the existence of any such bank account. 
    “There have been cases where the spouse who is supposed to pay has gone to great lengths to hide income, while the aggrieved spouse has even engaged the services of a detective to find out the real income of the other side,’’ said a family court lawyer. 
    In the present case, Mahesh last week, during the court hearing, offered to pay Rs 30 lakh as alimony. Seema has, however, sought a onetime settlement of Rs 1 crore. Mahesh’s lawyers disputed that Seema was in need of money. “The daughter’s wedding was held in a 5-star hotel recently. If she is really short of money, what was the need to hold the ceremony there?” said the lawyers. 
    The court gave the couple a week’s time to find common ground and even suggested a way out—with Mahesh making a fixed deposit of around Rs 30 lakh and paying a monthly maintenance of around Rs 50,000. “Since the relation is over, Mahesh does not want to continue any link by paying a monthly maintenance and wants to settle it finally by paying a lump sum amount,’’ said the advocate representing Mahesh. The court has scheduled further hearing of the case on October 18. (Names of the couple have been changed to protect their identities)


Source:::: The Times of India, 18-10-2012, p.04. http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?Daily=TOIM&showST=true&login=default&pub=TOI&Enter=true&Skin=TOINEW