I am a home-maker, who left her job around a decade back on insistence from husband that I should take care of my family. 2 years back, my husband deserted me and my child. He then began sending legal notices seeking divorce by mutual consent. When I did not give in to his demand, he began making threatening phone calls.
Tired of the harassement, I filed RCR case on him with no accusations whatsoever. Just a plea requesting him to come back and stay with me. In reply to RCR, he sent me a divorce petition through court.
I kept avoiding filing maintenance case on him, because I did not want money to come in between and spoil our relation further, because he would then feel that I am money minded. He has been sending a very paltry sum to me from the time he left home and I am still continuing to manage my expenses in that amount. When it became very difficult to manage, I filed a maintenance case u/s 26 read with section 23 of PROTECTION OF WOMEN UNDER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACT 2005.
Even here there are no allegations of domestic violence. We have just mentioned that the amount he is sending to me is insufficient because he is enjoying a very high standard of living and earning a very big salary in foreign currency (he has taken up a job abroad). Since I have the child with me, the amount sent by him is not at all enough to live in a metro city.
His lawyer now says that this case is not maintainable. He says that since I have filed RCR also, this case becomes contradictory to RCR and that I should file a fresh case of MAINTENANCE. The maintenance case was filed before completing 1 year of desertion period.
Is his lawyer right in saying so ? Request expert legal fraternity here to please give their opinions. I have neither put any accusations against him while filing affidavit, nor have I filed any case of domestic violence on him in police station.
Do I have to file a fresh application to claim maintenance ?
I will be very thankful for your advice in this regard.