Step right up and hold onto your hats, folks, because today's tale from the courtrooms of Mumbai is going to have you scratching your heads and, hopefully, chuckling a bit, too. Let's set the stage: a matrimonial squabble, a stern judge, three Rottweilers, and a husband who, by the end of this story, might very well wish he were one of the dogs.

The scene unfolded on July 11, 2023, when a metropolitan magistrate in Bandra, Mumbai tossed out a husband's attempt to lower the maintenance amount payable to his wife. Yeah, you read that right, our poor chap was hoping to save a few rupees, but lo and behold, fate had something quite different in store for him.

You see, his wife wasn't just asking for the usual maintenance; she was also seeking funds to look after her trio of Rottweiler pups. The husband, probably choking on his morning tea, argued that puppy pampering didn't count as maintenance. Unfortunately for him, the court wasn't too impressed by his plea.

Presiding over this curious case, Magistrate Komalsing Rajput took a moment to school everyone in the courtroom on the importance of pets in one's life, especially when that life has been recently jolted by a failed marriage. Our man Rajput asserted that pets are more than just furry companions; they're essentially cuddly therapists who help folks recover from emotional earthquakes, like a broken marriage.

So, with that, the gavel came down, and the husband's attempt to wriggle out of the doggy maintenance was sent packing. The magistrate firmly pronounced that our man would have to cough up the funds for the Rottweilers, too.

Now let's rewind a bit. The wife, a 55-year-old woman represented by advocate Shweta Moray, had initially sought a monthly maintenance amount of ₹70,000, a figure that probably made our husband's heart skip a beat or two. Unfortunately for him, on June 20, the court, while not completely siding with the wife, did order the husband to pay ₹50,000 as interim maintenance.

The court arrived at this decision after a good look at the financial standing of both parties. Despite the husband's tales of business losses, there wasn't any substantial evidence to back up his claims. The court also pointed out that the wife, who was dealing with health issues and didn't have a steady income, needed the maintenance to maintain her lifestyle and meet her needs, including taking care of her three Rottweilers, who were depending on her.

The couple had tied the knot in 1986 and had two daughters who were now comfortably settled abroad. Differences cropped up in their relationship in 2021, and the wife alleged that her husband had shipped her off to Mumbai with promises of maintenance and basic necessities, promises that, according to her, he hadn't kept.

She also accused him of domestic violence during their time together. In his defense, the husband claimed to have made certain payments to her during the intervening period.

Having examined the documents and heard both sides, Magistrate Rajput concluded that the wife had presented a strong preliminary case of domestic violence against her husband, and therefore, was entitled to interim maintenance.

So, there you have it, folks. The latest development in the world of legal shenanigans, featuring a husband, an estranged wife, and three Rottweilers. This unusual tale from the Mumbai court is sure to keep tongues wagging for a while, as it highlights the importance of pets in filling the emotional void after a relationship ends. And it goes to show that when it comes to marriage, divorce, and pet dogs, it's a dog-eat-dog world out there!