Additional sessions judge V K Bansal ordered Vinay Kumar Sharma to pay Rs 7,000 a month to his mother to take care of herself, dismissing his plea for allowing him to pay a lower maintenance amount.

"Keeping in view the inflation in price on date, in my opinion, Rs 14,000 will just be sufficient amount to maintain the mother and Rs 7,000 is to be paid by the appellant," the judge said.

Sharma had come to the sessions court challenging a magisterial court order to him and his brother both to pay Rs 7,000 each to their mother.

Sharma contended that he was the only earning member in his family and was having a meagre income from his business and in view his financial condition, he should be allowed to pay a lower reasonable maintenance sum to his mother.

His counsel said even before the order was passed by the magistrate, his client was maintaining his mother and was duty bound to maintain her.

He pleaded the maintenance amount should be Rs 5,000 per month from Rs 7,000 due to financial burden upon him.

His mother, who appeared before the court along with his other son who is paying her Rs 7,000 per month as maintenance following the order by the magistrate, contested the plea and said that her sons earn much more than what was assessed by the court earlier.

The judge, however, said during inquiry, it was found that Sharma was running a factory, maintaining two cars and was having three mobile phones, but no document was placed by him to substantiate his earnings and the expenditure to assess his actual income.

"I do not find any infirmity or illegality in the order passed by the magistrate. Appeal is without merit, hence dismissed," the court said.

The judge directed Sharma to pay the monthly maintenance on or before seventh day of each month.