SC awards ₹4cr Mumbai flat in divorce; trashes wife's ₹12cr, BMW request

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday exercised its extraordinary powers under Article 142 to formally dissolve a troubled marriage, ordering the husband to transfer a posh flat worth ₹4 crore in Mumbai to his wife as full and final alimony.

The apex court bench, comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria, rejected the wife’s additional demands for ₹12 crore and a BMW, calling the flat sufficient compensation given her academic qualifications and potential for financial independence.

The couple had entered into this second marriage after previous divorces, hoping for a fresh start. However, the relationship deteriorated beyond repair over eight years of discord. The court noted that the earlier alimony received by the wife from her first marriage could not influence the settlement of the second.

The bench, agreeing with arguments made by advocates Madhavi Divan and Prabhjit Jauhar, emphasized that the woman—an engineer with a master's degree in management—was well-qualified and had professional experience in IT, making her capable of supporting herself.

Considering that the husband is presently unemployed, the court directed him to gift the flat to the wife by August 30 and clear outstanding dues of ₹26 lakh to Kalpataru Society on Dr SS Road, Mumbai, by September 1.

Regarding the wife’s claim that her husband appeared financially capable on LinkedIn, the bench remarked, “We refuse to place any reliance on the LinkedIn profile. The respondent-wife has the qualifications and professional background to sustain herself. The gift of an unencumbered apartment is adequate alimony.”