vacating mother’s house : HC gives time to Maninder's estranged wife

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday allowed the estranged wife of former Indian cricketer Maninder Singh to stay till September first week at his mother's house, which she was to vacate by now in terms of a settlement arrived between them to end their 16-year-long marital dispute.

The order by Justice Siddharth Mridul came on Singh's plea seeking contempt action against his estranged wife for not vacating his mother's house according to the settlement order of May 24 this year.

As per the May 24 order, Singh had to pay Rs 2 lakh to his estranged wife within two days and Rs 98 lakh was to be deposited in the court within a month.

She in turn had agreed to vacate Singh's mother's house within two months of deposition of the amount, which she would be eligible to withdraw, after leaving that house.

Singh's lawyers claimed before the judge that he had deposited Rs 98 lakh in court on May 29, but his estranged wife, Melly, had not vacated the house yet.

Her lawyers told the court that she could not find any other suitable accommodation and that is why she had not moved out. She undertook to vacate the premises by the first week of September this year.

Subsequently, the court allowed her to reside at the premises till the first week of September and listed the matter on September 7, when she needs to show that she has complied with the settlement order.