Team India's star fast bowler Mohammed Shami is once again in the headlines, not for his on-field performance but for an ongoing legal dispute outside the cricket arena. The controversy surrounding his estranged wife, Haseen Jahan, has resurfaced as she has approached the Supreme Court seeking a significant increase in her monthly maintenance allowance. This legal battle, which began several years ago, has now reached the highest court of the country, drawing considerable attention.
Background of the Dispute
Mohammed Shami and Haseen Jahan have been living separately since 2018. The separation was initiated when Haseen Jahan filed an FIR against Shami and his family members, alleging domestic violence and harassment. These serious accusations marked the beginning of a protracted legal struggle between. The couple, which has been closely followed by media and the public alike. The case has become a prominent aspect of Shami's personal life, often discussed alongside his professional career.
Previous Court Proceedings
The legal proceedings in this case have progressed through various judicial levels. Initially, a trial court had ordered Mohammed Shami to pay an interim maintenance of Rs 1. 3 lakh per month to Haseen Jahan. This amount was set as an initial financial support for her, while however, in July 2025, the Calcutta High Court Notably increased this sum. The High Court raised the maintenance to Rs 4 lakh per month, allocating Rs 1. 5 lakh for Haseen Jahan personally and the remaining Rs 2. 50 lakh for the upbringing and education of their daughter. This decision reflected a consideration of Haseen Jahan's financial needs and their daughter's future requirements.
Haseen Jahan's Demand for Rs 10 Lakh
Dissatisfied with the Calcutta High Court's order, Haseen Jahan has now moved to the Supreme Court. In her appeal, she has demanded that the interim maintenance for. Herself and her daughter be increased to Rs 10 lakh per month. Haseen Jahan has consistently sought this amount, proposing Rs 7 lakh for her personal expenses and Rs 3 lakh for her daughter, while her demand wasn't met by the trial court or the High Court previously, but she has now presented it before the Supreme Court, hoping for a favorable outcome.
Basis and Arguments for the Demand
In her appeal, Haseen Jahan has cited Mohammed Shami's financial standing as the basis for her increased demand. She claims that Shami is an 'A-listed National Cricketer' with an estimated net worth of approximately Rs 500 crore. Haseen Jahan argues that there is a significant disparity in the living standards between a cricketer of Shami's stature and the petitioner, and that the current maintenance provided by Shami is insufficient to maintain a suitable standard of living for her and their daughter. She further referenced other 'elite cricketers' in her appeal, stating that she and her daughter are entitled to live a life commensurate with the standards of such families, but this isn't being facilitated due to inadequate financial support from Shami, while her arguments are firmly rooted in Shami's high income and assets, suggesting that a larger maintenance sum is warranted.
Supreme Court's Query and Further Action
As of now, the Supreme Court has not issued any final order in the matter. However, a bench comprising Justices Manoj Mishra and Ujjal Bhuyan posed a crucial question to Haseen Jahan's lawyers. The bench inquired whether an amount of Rs 4 lakh per month wasn't sufficient for the petitioner, while this question indicates the Court's initial consideration regarding the increased demand made by Haseen Jahan. Prior to further hearings in the case, the Supreme Court has issued notices to Mohammed Shami and the West Bengal government. These notices provide them with an opportunity to present their side of the case, and their responses will be considered in subsequent proceedings, while it remains to be seen what final decision the Supreme Court will make and whether Haseen Jahan's demand for increased alimony will be granted.
