SC asks 'love guru's' wife to end relationship

A professor from Patna University,  who left his wife in 2004  for a live-in relationship with a student 30 years his junior,  had earned himself the sobriquet 'love guru'. His wife continues to fight for her rights and maintenance.

She was on Tuesday told by the Supreme Court to redeem herself by coming out of the painful experience.

"People like you should show good leadership to the society that you have not gone on to suffer but fought back. You should not keep relations with such a husband, who does not care for you. We will protect your interests,"  a three-judge bench, presided over by justice Kurian Joseph, told Abha Choudhary, wife of Prof Matuk Nath Choudhary.

Matuk Nath, who teaches Hindi at Patna University, had openly accepted his love for the student.  Abha, however, continued to suffer and fight for her maintenance allowance.

Hearing a plea filed by Matuk Nath against the Patna High Court's order to pay Rs 25,000 per month as interim maintenance, including Rs 15,000 under the Domestic Violence Act, to his wife, the bench, also comprising justices Mohan M Shantanagoudar and Navin Sinha, told the woman that her husband can drag the  issue  for another 10 years.

"Why should you suffer this ignominy? This fellow can drag the case for the next 10 years. The moment he retires, he would try to replace his relationship with you," the bench told Abha, who was present in court.

The woman sought time till next Tuesday to think over the court's suggestion.

Advocate Gaurav Agrawal, who appeared for Matuk Nath, submitted that the woman might be reluctant to part ways, as there is a stigma attached to divorce in places like Patna.

The court had earlier directed Matuk Nath to pay the wife arrears of Rs 10 lakh before it started considering his plea against the high court's order of September 21, 2017.