Vidya Sinha

Vidya Sinha

Yesteryear actress Vidya Sinha has won a long-drawn legal battle with a sessions court asking her former husband to pay her Rs 10,000 per month as maintenance for their minor daughter. Hearing both sides, the court yesterday ordered 71-year- old Netaji Salunkhe to pay Vidya Rs 10,000 towards maintenance of their child. Salunkhe, a doctor based in Australia, had married Vidya in 2001. He later came to India and the couple adopted a child. Over a period of years, both did not get along and sought divorce in 2009. Vidya filed a complaint against Salunkhe in a lower court in the same year alleging that he had tortured her physically and mentally. She also demanded monthly maintenance from Salunkhe. However, Salunkhe pleaded that Vidya was an actress and had enough money to take care of herself and their child. He also submitted that Vidya owned a flat in suburban Andheri. The court ordered Salunkhe to pay Rs 10,000 towards maintenance of their child. Being aggrieved, he filed an appeal in a sessions court which yesterday upheld the order of the lower court asking him to pay maintenance to his former wife. In the 1970s, Vidya had shot to fame with several hits such as "Pati, Patni Aur Woh", "Choti Si Baat" and "Rajnigandha". Thereafter she took a break for some years and recently Vidya appeared on television serials such as "Bhabhi", "Bahu Rani" and "Zaara".