The Bombay High Court on Thursday stayed an order of a Mumbai court directing Maharashtra cabinet minister Dhananjay Munde to pay interim maintenance to his estranged wife and daughter..Single-judge Justice Manjusha Deshpande stayed the order subject to the condition that Munde, a senior leader of the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), deposits 50 percent of the amount awarded to the wife before the trial court. The stay was granted after Munde challenged the February 4 order of the Judicial Magistrate First Class, 71st Court, Bandra. “In the meanwhile, there shall be ad–interim stay in terms of prayer clause (d) subject to deposit of 50% of the amount, which is granted in favour of the Applicant No.1 before the Judicial Magistrate First Class 71st Court, Bandra, Mumbai,” the Court recorded. The Court also permitted Munde to place on record affidavits of assets and liabilities filed by the parties before the trial court and directed the respondents to file their reply affidavits within six weeks..The order under challenge was passed on an application filed under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 by his estranged wife, who claimed to have married Munde in 1998.She alleged that she and her children were subjected to domestic violence and neglect. The magistrate had directed Munde to pay ₹1.25 lakh per month to the wife and ₹75,000 per month to their daughter as interim maintenance. The order was upheld by the Mazgaon Additional Sessions Judge in April 2025..The counsel appearing for Munde argued that the courts failed to consider the comparative income, liabilities and needs of the parties. He submitted that both courts overlooked key financial disclosures, including affidavits detailing the income and liabilities of the parties. These omissions led to the grant of maintenance by the trial court, which was subsequently upheld by the appellate court.Munde then appealed to the High Court which issued notice on the plea and stayed the order.The case will be heard next on August 14..Advocates Shardul Singh, Sayali Sawant, Hridyanshi Sharma and Ninad Thikekar appeared for Munde.Advocate Thombre appeared for the estranged wife.Additional Public Prosecutor Nitin B Patil appeared for the State.
