Mumbai: Already embroiled in a controversy related to a sarpanch murder case, Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde faces fresh trouble after a court here found "prima facie" evidence of domestic violence against his first wife and ordered him to pay interim maintenance of Rs 2 lakh per month to her and their daughter.
The Bandra magistrate's court earlier this week also refused to accept Munde's contention that they were not married. On the face of it, the couple shared domestic relations, said the judge. Judicial Magistrate (First Class) A B Jadhav partly allowed the plea of Munde's first wife Karuna Sharma and directed the NCP leader to pay her Rs 1.25 lakh per month and Rs 75,000 per month to their minor daughter.
Sharma had filed a domestic violence case against him in the Bandra court in 2020. The court has not given its final ruling in the domestic violence case, advocate Sayali Sawant, the minister's lawyer, said. Sharma, who had two children with Munde (49), sought interim maintenance and compensation under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, during the pendency of the case.
According to Munde's lawyer, Advocate Sayali Sawant, the court has yet to issue a final ruling on the domestic violence allegations. Munde has denied the allegations and rejected Sharma's contention of having any relationship with her. The court, however, pointed out that in his election affidavit, Munde mentioned the names of the two children with Karuna as his "dependents".
."....the present proceedings contended that he never married the applicant. It appears that the respondent is denying conjugal rights of the applicant, which also amounts to domestic violence," the court order of February 4 said.
This decision comes amid increasing pressure from opposition parties in Maharashtra, who are calling for Munde's resignation following the surrender of his close aide, Walmik Karad, in an extortion case linked to the murder of a sarpanch in his home district of Beed.
The opposition parties have raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the probe into the killing of Santosh Deshmukh, the Sarpanch of Massajog village, which occurred in December 2024. Munde, currently undergoing eye treatment, has denied any involvement in the murder and stated he would resign if directed to do so by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis or NCP leader and deputy CM Ajit Pawar.
On the relationship between the two, the court noted that Munde had executed a notarized 'Vasiyatnama' (will) in 2017 where he admitted that the woman was his first wife. In the present case, the minister denied all the allegations and even the relationship with Karuna. No particulars of alleged incidents of domestic violence were provided, his reply said.
The court, however, pointed out that in his election affidavit, Munde mentioned the names of the two children with Karuna as his "dependents". As per an affidavit filed before the court, the couple were living separately since 2020. This suggested that their relations were strained, and an inference can be drawn that as the respondent is denying their marital status, "the woman is emotionally abused by the respondent which amounts to domestic violence", the judge said.
"Therefore, I hold that, applicant No 1 prima facie proved that she has been subjected to domestic violence at the hands of respondent," the court ruled. The judge, however, denied any relief to the couple's son, noting that a male child is not entitled to maintenance after attaining majority. As per Karuna Sharma, she married Dhananjay Munde on January 9,1998.
It was an inter-caste love marriage, and after the wedding the couple initially stayed in Indore before shifting to Mumbai, she claimed. The relationship was smooth till 2018, but later there was a sudden change in Munde's behavior and he started to neglect her and her children, she alleged.
When she learnt about his second marriage and confronted him, Munde allegedly told her that he had to marry again "to maintain reputation in society and under the pressure of family members". But she would always have the "status of first wife", he told her, and hence she never complained about his second marriage keeping in mind his social position, the woman's petition said.
Subsequently, Munde "physically and emotionally abused" her and denied her conjugal rights, she alleged. Munde's lawyer said he had in the past acknowledged that he was in a live-in relationship with the woman (Karuna), and the interim order was based on that admission.
Karuna Sharma, on the other hand, said she was not satisfied with the interim maintenance amount. I should be called Karuna Munde as the court has accepted me as the first wife of Dhananjay Munde. I had sought a monthly maintenance of Rs 15 lakh, but the court allowed only Rs 2 lakh. A person can not sustain oneself in a city like Mumbai (with that money) so I will approach the high court, she told reporters.
The matter (before the magistrate's court) will be taken up on February 20. I will produce my family members including my sister who was also abused by Munde. I will file a petition in the HC for higher maintenance as we have to pay off loans," she added.
