New Delhi: In a case that puts the spotlight on the financial obligations of the country's sporting elite, the Supreme Court has stepped into the maintenance dispute between cricketer Mohammed Shami and his wife, Hasin Jahan, issuing notices to Shami and the West Bengal government on Jahan's petition demanding an increase in monthly interim maintenance from ₹4 lakh to ₹10 lakh for herself and their daughter.
The bench of Justices Manoj Misra and Ujjal Bhuyan, while admitting the appeal, asked Jahan's counsel, Senior Advocate Shobha Gupta, whether ₹4 lakh per month as mandated by the Calcutta High Court was “not sufficient” for her upkeep.
Background. Jahan married Shami in April 2014; the couple has a daughter born in 2015. The relationship soured in 2018 when Jahan publicly accused Shami of domestic violence and infidelity, leading to an FIR and proceedings under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act. A magistrate court initially ordered ₹1.3 lakh monthly maintenance; the Calcutta High Court later more than tripled this to ₹4 lakh (₹1.5 lakh for the wife, ₹2.5 lakh for the daughter) until final disposal of the case — the order Jahan now challenges as still falling short of Shami's true financial capacity.
The Petition's Arguments. The plea contends the High Court failed to apply the “accustomed standard of living” doctrine, describing Shami as a “high-net-worth individual estimated to over 500 Crores” with lucrative BCCI, IPL, and endorsement earnings. It argues their daughter is “entitled to the same educational and lifestyle standards as other children of elite cricketers,” and accuses Shami of “deliberately and tactfully” avoiding his lawful liability while Jahan remains without independent income.
With notices now issued, Shami and the West Bengal government are expected to file counter-affidavits, after which the Supreme Court will hear detailed arguments — a case likely to set a benchmark for how Indian courts quantify “adequate maintenance” for the families of sporting superstars.
