A woman’s unusual demand for alimony in a marital dispute, including a house in Mumbai, ₹12 crore in maintenance, and a luxury BMW car, led to a notable exchange in the Supreme Court on Wednesday, with Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice B.R. Gavai questioning the reasoning behind her claims.

When asked what she wanted from the settlement, the woman, who was arguing the case herself, told the bench she was seeking a home in Kalpataru (a premium housing complex in Mumbai), a BMW, and ₹12 crore as financial support.

Reacting to the demands, Chief Justice Gavai said:

“But that house is in Kalpataru... one of the good builders. You are an IT person. You have done your MBA. You are in demand in Bengaluru, Hyderabad... Why don’t you work?”

The court noted that the marriage lasted only 18 months, yet the woman was asking for maintenance that would amount to about ₹1 crore per month of the marriage.

“You had a marriage for just 18 months. And you also want a BMW?” the CJI remarked.

The woman defended her request, saying: “But he is very rich. And he sought the nullity of the marriage, claiming that I am schizophrenic.”

She also alleged that her husband, who previously worked as a Citibank manager and ran two businesses, forced her to quit her job, and denied her the chance to have a child.

“I wanted a child, but he didn’t give me a child. He filed for divorce, saying that I am schizophrenic,” she said, adding later: “Do I look schizophrenic, my lords?”

As the hearing continued, the court went through the husband’s tax filings, with his lawyers arguing that his income had dropped after leaving his job.

Senior Advocate Madhavi Divan, representing the husband, told the bench:

“She has to work also. Everything cannot be demanded like this.”

The Chief Justice then told the woman she could not demand property belonging to her husband's father, reminding her that alimony has its limits.

The court then suggested she should settle for the flat and focus on rebuilding her career. The Chief Justice advised:

“Or you better take those 4 crore, find a good job in Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore... there is a demand in IT centres.”

He added: “Aap itni padi likhi hain. Aapko khudko maangna nahi chahiye aur khudko kama ke khana chahiye.”
 (Translation: “You are highly educated. You must not ask and instead earn your livelihood.”)

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