Haryana Couple's 44-Year Marriage Ends with Shocking ₹3.07 Crore Alimony: Husband Forced to Sell Farmland to Settle – Know What Happened Next

Karnal (The Uttam Hindu): A couple from Karnal, Haryana, has officially ended their 44-year marriage following a significant alimony settlement of ₹3.07 crore, which was reached through mediation in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The 70-year-old husband, in order to meet the alimony obligation, sold his farmland. The couple, married on August 27, 1980, and with three grown children—two daughters and a son—had separated in 2006. The husband filed for divorce in 2013, citing mental cruelty.

However, his petition was rejected by the Karnal family court. Undeterred, he appealed to the high court, where the case remained unresolved for nearly 11 years. In November 2023, the case was referred to the Mediation and Conciliation Center, where both parties, along with their adult children, agreed to dissolve the marriage amicably. The alimony settlement included a combination of payments: ₹2.16 crore paid through a demand draft from the sale of agricultural land, ₹50 lakh in cash from crop earnings, and ₹40 lakh worth of gold and silver ornaments. The agreement stipulates that the ₹3.07 crore alimony serves as permanent compensation and absolves the husband of any future claims from his ex-wife or children regarding his estate.

The division bench of Justice Sudhir Singh and Justice Jasjit Singh Bedi officially finalized the divorce last week, acknowledging the settlement reached on November 22. According to the agreement, the wife and children will have no further claims against the husband or his estate, even after his death. Alimony, which is the financial support granted to a spouse who cannot support themselves after a divorce, is typically paid by men in India. The court decides the alimony amount based on various factors, and in this case, the ₹3.07 crore settlement brings an end to the couple’s long-standing legal battle.