Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Responding to a daughter's ongoing struggle for maintenance, Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered authorities to investigate her father's financial status.

Earlier, a Family Court ordered the father to pay her Rs 10,000 per month as maintenance, and the father had appealed against the order.

A division bench of Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Binod Kumar Dwivedi was hearing an appeal filed by Kamal Sharma against his daughter, Ku. Prapti (Gungun) Sharma, who is currently pursuing her graduation in Mumbai.

The court observed that it was "very unfortunate and painful" that the daughter had to approach the judiciary for her basic financial support, noting that the father had filed as many as four petitions against her.

While the father’s counsel argued that her maternal grandfather was taking care of her, the judges remarked that the grandfather, being an aged person, could not be expected to support her in the long term.

The daughter, present in court, said she suspected her father had remarried and had a son, but stressed that it was unreasonable to expect her to investigate his marital status or income. The father, however, through his lawyer, denied these allegations and claimed he was unemployed and unable to pay the ordered maintenance of ?10,000 per month.

Taking note of the conflicting claims, the court directed the sub-divisional officer (revenue), Indore, along with the station house officer of Tilak Nagar Police Station, to visit the father’s residence and submit a report detailing his family members, property and sources of income. The report is to be submitted within a week.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on October 6.