Mohammed Shami’s estranged wife says Rs400,000 alimony insufficient

Dubai: Cricketer Mohammed Shami’s estranged wife Hasin Jahan has welcomed the Calcutta High Court’s decision directing the India pacer to pay a monthly alimony of Rs400,000, but insists the amount falls short of what she and her daughter rightfully deserve.

Calling the court’s order a “victory” after a prolonged legal struggle, Jahan said she was grateful the court had finally acknowledged her claim for fair maintenance. “Now I will be able to give my daughter a good education and maintain her life easily,” she said, but added, “If you see the life Shami leads, the status he maintains, his earnings — this amount is nothing in comparison.”

The court’s order, passed by Justice Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee, revised an earlier ruling from a lower court that granted Jahan Rs50,000 and her daughter Rs80,000 per month. The new ruling raises Jahan’s maintenance to Rs150,000 and her daughter’s to Rs250,000, totalling Rs400,000 per month.

Jahan’s legal team, however, believes this could just be a step forward. “There is a high chance the amount may be upgraded to Rs600,000 when the trial court concludes the final hearing,” said her lawyer, Imtiaz Ahmed, noting that her original plea asked for Rs1 million per month — Rs700,000 for herself and Rs300,000 for her daughter.

Jahan had filed the appeal arguing that the interim relief earlier granted was “mechanically” decided and grossly inadequate. She stated her monthly income stood at just Rs16,000 while her expenses exceeded Rs600,000. She also pointed out that her daughter could not be enrolled in a top-tier school like those attended by children of other Indian cricketers due to financial constraints.

The court acknowledged Shami’s ability to pay more, citing his financial disclosures. “The petitioner’s wife, who has remained unmarried and is living independently with the child, is entitled to a levelled maintenance that she enjoyed during her continuance of marriage,” the bench noted.

The couple married in 2014 and separated in 2018 after Jahan accused Shami of domestic violence. The case has been ongoing since, with multiple legal proceedings, including criminal charges under various sections of the IPC. This was the second marriage of Hasin Jahan, and from her previous marriage, she had two daughters.

While the legal battle is far from over, Hasin Jahan says this ruling gives her hope that “justice is finally catching up.”

— With inputs from agencies