ALREADY embroiled in a controversy related to a sarpanch murder case, Maharashtra Minister DhananjayMunde faces fresh trouble after a court here found ‘prima facie’ evidence of domestic violence against his first wife andorderedhimtopay interimmaintenanceofRs2lakh per month to her and their daughter. TheBandra 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) ABJadhav partly allowed the plea of Munde’s first wife KarunaSharmaanddirectedthe NCPleadertopayherRs1.25lakh per month and Rs 75,000 per month to their minor daughter. Sharma had filed a domesti violence case against him in th Bandra court in 2020.

 

The court has not given its final ruling i thedomesticviolencecase,advocateSayaliSawant,theMinister’ lawyer, said. Sharma,whohadtwochildre with Munde (49), sought interim maintenance and compensation under the Protection of WomenfromDomesticViolenc Act, 2005. Mundehasdeniedth allegationsandrejectedSharma’ contention of having any relationshipwithher.Thecourt,however, pointedoutthatinhiselectionaffidavit,Mundementione the names of the two childre with Karuna as his ‘dependents’. Onthe relationshipbetweenth two, the court notedthatMund had executed a notarise ‘Vasiyatnama’ (will) in 201 where he admitted that th woman was his first wife