Recently, a Delhi court examined the scope and object of interim maintenance under the criminal procedure law in a matrimonial dispute that raised significant questions about financial support, earning capacity, and the right of a wife to live with dignity after separation. The case involved competing claims regarding income, standard of living during marriage, and the extent of a husband’s statutory responsibility, particularly when he resides abroad. The case arose from an application filed by the wife seeking interim maintenance under Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). She claimed that following her separation from her husband, she was unable to maintain herself and had become dependent on her family for daily expenses. According to her, she had enjoyed a particular standard of living during the marriage, which could not be abruptly taken away after separation. The husband opposed the claim, asserting that the marriage had lasted only about 13 months and t...