Setback for Mohammed Shami; Calcutta High Court directs cricketer to pay Rs 4 lakh monthly alimony to ex-wife and daughter

KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court has ruled that Indian pacer Mohammed Shami must pay Rs 4 lakh per month in maintenance—Rs 1.5 lakh to his former wife, Hasin Jahan, and Rs 2.5 lakh for their daughter’s care and expenses. The judgment was issued in response to an appeal filed by Hasin Jahan, challenging a previous district court decision that had set the monthly payments at Rs 50,000 for alimony and Rs 80,000 for child support.

Justice Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee, who issued the ruling, stated that the revised maintenance amount was necessary to ensure the financial well-being of both the mother and the child. The order also allows Shami discretion in contributing to additional expenses such as education and other essential needs of the child.

The legal dispute began in March 2018, when Hasin Jahan lodged a complaint at the Jadavpur police station, accusing Shami of physical and emotional abuse. She also alleged harassment from his family and claimed that Shami had neglected their daughter. In addition to domestic violence, she levelled accusations of dowry-related abuse.

The High Court observed that Hasin Jahan has remained unmarried since her separation and requires financial assistance to maintain a lifestyle similar to the one she had during her marriage. The court further highlighted the need to safeguard the future of the child through sustained financial support. Mohammed Shami and Hasin Jahan got married in 2014.