Late Cong minister’s widow helps daughter-in-law bag Rs 4-cr in alimony

Bengaluru, Aug 9: Recently in Bangalore, a city civic court directed Devanand Shivashankarappa Kashappanavar, the son of late former Karnataka minister S R Kashappanavar, to pay Rs 4.84 crore as permanent alimony to his wife within 60 days, according to a report in media. The court granted a divorce as Devanand had an extra-marital affair and had married another woman against the law.

The petitioner, Devanand’s wife, was also his niece (sister’s daughter).

What makes the case more interesting is the rare instance of solidarity wherein the mother deposed against the son in the court and helped the daughter-in-law get alimony. Devanand’s mother testified against him saying that he was rich enough to pay a handsome alimony.

K.Bhagya, Additional Principal Judge, pronounced the order after granting decree of divorce to the petitioner. She had filed a petition in 2015, seeking to dissolve their four-year long marriage and the couple had been living in separation since 12 February 2012. The petitioner and Devanand had tied the knot in May 2011 at Hungund taluk of Bagalkot district. The judge said that Devanand should pay the alimony amount to the petitioner within 60 days from this order dated 24 July 2017.

The judge pronounced the verdict after allowing a petition filed by Devanand’s wife under Section 13 (1) (ia) (ib) (cruelty and desertion) of the Hindu Marriage Act seeking decree of dissolution of her marriage.