The Calcutta High Court has enhanced the interim monetary relief payable to Hasin Jahan, estranged wife of cricketer Mohammed Shami, and their daughter to a total of ₹4 lakh per month. Justice Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee, delivering the judgment on July 1, 2025, revised the previous order passed by the Alipore Sessions Court that had awarded only ₹50,000 per month to Jahan and ₹80,000 to the child.
The High Court was hearing a criminal revision petition against the lower court’s decision, which was challenged on the grounds that the maintenance was grossly inadequate in view of Shami’s substantial income. As per his Income Tax Returns for FY 2020–21, his total income stood at over ₹7.19 crore annually, roughly ₹59.9 lakh per month.
The Court observed that while courts should not aim to equalize wealth, maintenance must be fair, adequate, and consistent with the standard of living the wife and child were accustomed to during the marriage. The Court criticized the earlier order for not clearly explaining the basis of the low maintenance figure, despite evidence of the husband’s high earnings.
Accordingly, the Court awarded ₹1.5 lakh per month to Hasin Jahan and ₹2.5 lakh per month to their daughter as interim relief, effective from the date of the original application under Section 23 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDV Act). The Court also clarified that this amount is separate from any additional contributions Mohammed Shami may voluntarily make toward education or other needs of the child.
The Court directed the trial court to expedite the disposal of the main application under Section 12 of the PWDV Act and reminded that such matters should ideally be resolved within 60 days of the first hearing.
Appearance in the case:
For the Petitioner : Mr. Imtiaz Ahmed, Ms. Ghazala Firdaus, Mr. Sk. Saidullah, Mr. Mithun Mondal, Mr. Md. Arsalan
For the Opposite Party : Mr. Sandipan Ganguly, Mr. Sompriya Chowdhury, Mr. B. Kumar, Mr. I. Basu
[Hasin Jahan v. State of WB., CRR 656 of 2023, Decided on 1.07.2025]