Mumbai Court Upholds Maintenance for Woman in Relationship ‘Like Marriage’ with Ex-Minister Dhananjay Munde

Mumbai, 10th April 2025: A sessions court in Mumbai has rejected an appeal by former Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde, ruling that a woman who claims to have been in a long-term relationship with him is entitled to interim maintenance under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (DV Act).

In a detailed order issued recently, Additional Sessions Judge Shaikh Akbar Shaikh Jafar stated that the relationship between Munde and the woman, which resulted in the birth of two children, bears the hallmarks of a marital partnership, thereby entitling her to legal relief under the DV Act.

The court dismissed Munde’s contention—put forth through his legal counsel—that the woman was merely his “concubine” and therefore not eligible for maintenance or protection under the Act. The judge observed that the existence of two children indicated cohabitation, reinforcing the view that their relationship functioned “in the nature of marriage.”

“She is entitled to seek remedies under the Domestic Violence Act as the shared household and the children are prima facie proof of a domestic relationship,” the order stated.

The ruling came in response to Munde’s challenge of a 2022 interim order by a Bandra magistrate directing him to pay ₹1.25 lakh per month to the woman, who has claimed she is his first wife. Munde has denied any legal marriage with her.

In his February appeal, Munde reiterated that the woman had willingly entered into a relationship with him despite knowing about his existing marriage, and thus was not eligible for protection under the DV Act. He argued that the maintenance order lacked legal basis and factual support.
However, the sessions court disagreed, emphasizing that the woman’s financial status—whether she earns or not—does not override her right to maintain a lifestyle comparable to that of the man she shared a domestic life with.

“Given the social and financial stature of the respondent, who holds a prominent position in public life, the interim maintenance awarded by the magistrate appears reasonable and requires no interference,” the court stated.

The detailed judgment, made available on Tuesday, also clarified that the maintenance payments are to be calculated from the date the woman filed her application in 2022.

Earlier, on February 4, the magistrate’s court in Bandra had held that the woman appeared to have suffered domestic violence, including emotional distress, after Munde reportedly denied the existence of their relationship. Judicial Magistrate A.B. Jadhav had said, “The respondent’s refusal to acknowledge the applicant’s marital status amounts to emotional abuse, which is a form of domestic violence.”

The woman had originally sought ₹5 lakh each in interim maintenance for her two children and herself, along with ₹25 lakh in interim compensation.

The legal battle continues as Munde maintains there was no marriage, while the courts, so far, have accepted the woman’s claims as sufficiently credible to grant interim relief.