Fifty-six year-old Padmini S is one of the few to file a case against her son under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 and even though an order was passed in her favour in October 2015, she still has to run to court every month.
In 2014, Padmini found out through her application for Encumbrance Certificate that her son had written off her house in his name by paying her `23 lakh, which Padmini claims was untrue. Being a heart and patient requiring a knee replacement surgery, Padmini had piling medical bills and also feared her son would oust her from her own house. Padmini then approached the court seeking relief and even though the court ordered the son to pay her `5000 every month, he is refusing to oblige.
“Even before I came to court, he would give me some money, but it was because I needed money for the surgery I approached the court. Now, he’s not giving me even that money. What is the point of coming to court?” she weeps. Even though the matter gets posted to a different date every month, the judge in the court is unable to help Padmini. “At the last hearing I broke down in front of the judge and he said “why don’t you just settle for whatever he gives you. I regret that I even approached the court,” Padmini said angrily.
After her previous advocate gave up on the case, Padmini had hired a new lawyer and is hoping it would make a difference. “The advocate has said that he would ask the court why they are not imprisoning my son for disobeying court orders. I’m hoping at least now the case will progress,” she added.