The Bombay High Court has held that an estranged wife can seek maintenance from her husband for and on behalf of her adult daughter or son as long as the offspring is dependent on her.

"A daughter may have attained majority but so long as she is unmarried and dependent on mother, she is entitled to maintenance from her father's earnings," ruled Justices A M Khanwilkar and R Y Ganoo.

The ruling was delivered on August 26 on an appeal filed by Vijaykumar Chawla, a businessman, against a family court order which directed him to pay Rs 40,000 per month to his daughter, Shraddha, who was staying with her mother and undergoing a pilot's training course.

Shraddha had obtained a loan for the course and was obliged to pay Rs 40,000 EMI towards the same. The court ordered the appellant to deduct Rs eight lakh already paid to his daughter for education expenses and pay the remaining amount of loan taken by her to pursue her career. (Indianexpress)