A magistrate’s court in Bombay on January 17 directed deceased film financier, post-production studio owner and builder Yusuf Lakdawala’s son and daughter-in-law’s properties to be attached after it was alleged that they failed to pay maintenance to his widow. A sessions court in September 2022 had enhanced the monthly interim maintenance to Rs. 2 lakh from Rs. 1.25 lakh awarded to Yusuf Lakdawala’s second wife, Sabina (46), by the magistrate’s court. The sessions court had observed that Rs. 1.25 lakh was on the “lower side”, taking into consideration Sabina’s submissions that the family had properties worth Rs. 1,000 crore to 1,500 crore. Sabina is stepmother to Yusuf Lakdawala’s son, Feroz Lakdawala.
Sabina moved the Supreme Court as she was aggrieved by the non-execution of the sessions court’s order. She said that she was owed Rs. 41 lakh which included Rs. 75,000 per month towards rent. On January 2, the apex court said that if there is no cross-appeal or stay of the sessions court’s September 2022 order, the executing court is duty-bound to enforce the order promptly.
On January 17, the magistrate’s court, where Sabina had first filed a domestic violence case in 2021, issued the communication to the senior police inspector of Bandra police station in Bombay, ordering the attachment. “This is to authorise and require you to attach and recover any movable property belonging to the said respondent no. 1 Feroz Lakdawala and respondent no. 2 Noorie F. Lakdawala … and if within seven days next after such attachment, the said sum shall not be paid, to sell the movable property attached, or so much thereof as shall be sufficient to satisfy the said maintenance, returning this warrant with an endorsement.”
The matter will come up for hearing today (January 18).