Court asks Dhananjay Munde to pay Rs 2 lakh interim maintenance to estranged wife, daughter

Munde's lawyer Sawant claimed certain reports have not accurately presented the matter, underscoring that the court has not reached the final conclusion in the domestic violence case against the NCP leader.

Mumbai: In a development that could have a political fallout, NCP leader and Maharashtra’s food, civil supplies and consumer protection minister Dhananjay Munde - who is facing a case of domestic violence filed by his estranged first wife Karuna Munde - has been asked to pay an interim maintenance of Rs two lakh per month.

The applicants in the case are Karuna Sharma, their son Sishiv (21) and daughter Shivani (19).

Karuna Sharma has filed the case under Section 23 of the Protection of The Woman from the Domestic Violence Act, 2005

Dhananjay Munde and Karuna Sharma married on 9 January 1998, however, later he married Rajashree Munde.

The order - dated 4 February - was passed by A B Jadhav, Judicial Magistrate (First Class), 71st Court, Bandra, Mumbai.

“The respondent shall pay Rs 1,25,000 per month to applicant No.1 and Rs 75,000/- p.m. to applicant No.3, as an interim maintenance, from the date of filing of the present application. The respondent shall pay Rs 25,000 as the cost of the present application to the applicant,” the order said.

Meanwhile, reacting to the judgement, Karuna Sharma said: “I have got justice from the court, I thank the court and the judge. Since the children are with me, the demand was that the three of them would get Rs 5 lakhs per month each. We have been ordered to be given Rs two lakh per month.”

However, Karuna Munde said she would move the Bombay High Court and demand Rs 15 lakh per month. “My son is unemployed. How can I manage with just Rs 2 lakh? I have been fighting this battle alone for three years, even selling my jewelry to survive,” she said.

"The marriage of applicant No.1 and the respondent is love marriage and inter-caste marriage. After marriage applicant No.1 and respondent for initial period stayed at Indore. Thereafter, they started to reside in Mumbai. Until 2018, their marriage life was smooth. The respondent is a political leader. In 2018 there was a sudden change in the behaviour of the respondent and he started to neglect the applicants,” the petition states.

The petition said that in November 2020, Karuna Sharma was physically and emotionally abused by Munde.

Karuna Sharma further claimed victory in securing recognition as Munde’s wife. “I should no longer be called Karuna Sharma but Karuna Dhananjay Munde. The court has given me the status of the first wife, and my fight for the Munde name has been successful,” she asserted.

In a shocking development, Karuna Sharma accused Walmik Karad, a close associate of Dhananjay Munde of assaulting her. “Karad had beaten me and touched me inappropriately,” she alleged.

Munde’s lawyer Sayali Sawant said that there is no adverse finding against her client. “It is crucial to note that there is no adverse funding against my client (Dhananjay Munde). The order is passed based solely on the financial needs of the applicants (Karuna Munde) and not on any finding of wrongdoing. Dhananjay Munde himself had admitted to a past live-in relationship with Karuna Sharma and their children, which forms the basis of the order,” she said.