Woman claiming to be MP's wife moves SC

A woman, claiming herself to be wife of a sitting Rajya Sabha MP, on Monday approached the Supreme Court questioning the Delhi High Court's order directing her to live separately from her 80-year-old husband on an allegation by his estranged son that his mother, other wife of the seven-time Parliamentarian, has been illegally detained by him.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi mentioned the matter before a bench presided over by Justice N V Ramana saying it is an unusual case related to an 80-year-old MP where two women 66-year-old and 77-year-old lived together in a government house with him but now the high court, going beyond its jurisdiction, ordered their removal and investigation by the Delhi police.

A bench of Justices R Banumathi, A S Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy would hear the matter on Tuesday.

In her plea, the woman-petitioner contended the high court on September 20 passed directions to live separately from her husband without considering the fact that they have been living together for a period of 45 years.

“The MP suffers from various age-related medical issues and needs constant care and attention and the petitioner is sole care giver,” she said.

“Taking advantage of ill-health of the MP, the estranged son filed a writ petition falsely alleging illegal confinement of (the other wife and his mother),” she said, contending that his was an attempt to threaten and grab the property of the MP.

During the proceedings before the high court, the MP and the other wife had appeared and submitted that there was no any case of confinement or physical abuse but still she was also directed to be moved away from the official residence and all access to her by the family members was denied.

She questioned the high court's order directing her to live separately from her husband for a period of four weeks until investigation by Delhi police is completed.

“This would have a direct and adverse consequences of health of the MP, which may be irreparable,” she said.