The ongoing legal dispute between India cricketer Mohammed Shami and his estranged wife Hasin Jahan has once again entered the spotlight after Jahan approached the Supreme Court seeking an increase in the interim maintenance granted to her and the couple’s minor daughter. The Calcutta High Court had earlier fixed the amount at ₹4 lakh per month, but Jahan has argued this figure is inadequate given Shami’s financial status, lifestyle and rising inflation.

On Friday, November 7, the Supreme Court issued a notice to Shami while hearing Jahan’s appeal. However, the bench of Justices Manoj Misra and Ujjal Bhuyan signalled preliminary scepticism about her demand for a higher maintenance amount. “Why have you filed this? Isn’t ₹4 lakh per month quite handsome?” the bench asked, indicating that the amount already awarded appears substantial.

The legal battle stems from interim maintenance orders dating back to 2018. A trial court in West Bengal had initially directed Shami to pay ₹1.3 lakh per month—₹80,000 for the daughter and ₹50,000 for Jahan. Dissatisfied, Jahan challenged that order before the Calcutta High Court. On July 1 this year, the High Court substantially increased the maintenance to ₹4 lakh per month: ₹1.5 lakh for Jahan and ₹2.5 lakh for the child. A division bench upheld this ruling on August 25. Jahan has now appealed both orders before the Supreme Court, seeking further enhancement.

Her argument centres on Shami’s financial capacity and what she calls his “ultra-luxurious lifestyle.” In a video statement after the July High Court judgment that has resurfaced online, Jahan said maintenance should reflect the husband’s status and income. She contended that because Shami enjoys a high standard of living, she and her daughter are legally entitled to a commensurate standard. She recalled that her original demand had been ₹10 lakh per month, made more than seven years ago. “So now, according to inflation, we will appeal,” she stated, while acknowledging that she appreciated the High Court order but believed the maintenance remained below what Shami’s financial position warrants.

Jahan’s Supreme Court petition asserts that the cricketer is “living a lavish life” and has been “deliberately manipulating the courts” to avoid paying fair maintenance. Through her lawyers, senior advocate Shobha Gupta and advocate Sriram Parakatt, she cited figures from affidavits filed by Shami before the High Court. According to her claim, Shami’s monthly expenses exceed ₹1.08 crore and his net worth is around ₹500 crore. She further stated that her estrangement from him has left her unemployed with no independent income to support herself or her child.

Alongside her plea for higher monthly maintenance, Jahan also claims that Shami owes ₹2.4 crore in unpaid maintenance, an amount he has disputed. The Calcutta High Court had earlier directed him to clear outstanding arrears in eight monthly instalments beginning in September. Compliance with these directions remains part of the dispute.

While the Supreme Court has issued notice to Shami and will take up the matter in four weeks, the bench also indicated that a mediated settlement remains possible. “If you want to mediate and settle, we can issue notice,” the judges said, opening the door for out-of-court resolution should both parties agree.

The maintenance dispute is only one aspect of the larger legal confrontation between the couple. Shami is also facing trial in a criminal case filed by Jahan in 2018 in Jadavpur, West Bengal, where she has accused the cricketer and members of his family of causing extreme cruelty.

As the Supreme Court prepares to examine the maintenance appeal, the case remains a complex mix of legal arguments, financial disclosures, marital allegations and high public visibility owing to Shami’s stature as an international cricketer. The court’s eventual ruling will depend on its assessment of Shami’s income, Jahan’s needs, the welfare of the minor child, and the judicial principles governing spousal and child support under Indian law.