Pilot Ordered to Pay Lifetime Alimony After Spying on Wife with CCTV Cameras

In a high-profile divorce case, the Gujarat High Court has directed a Mumbai-based pilot to pay his wife ₹1 lakh per month as permanent alimony for her lifetime. The court granted the divorce on grounds of cruelty, citing the husband's extreme surveillance tactics as the primary reason.

The case involves a teacher from Ahmedabad who married the pilot in Mumbai in May 2023. This was the pilot's second marriage, as his first wife had died by suicide, leaving behind a son. The woman agreed to marry the pilot on the understanding that she would not have children of her own and would take care of the pilot's son.

However, the relationship quickly soured. Despite owning three houses in Mumbai, the pilot transferred his properties and moved into a rented flat. He then proceeded to install CCTV cameras in every room and microphones in the bathrooms, citing concerns for the safety of family members. The court rejected this defense, deeming the husband's actions as clear evidence of cruelty.

Tensions further escalated when the wife went on a hunger strike, prompting the husband to file a police complaint. The couple's cohabitation lasted only two years before the wife returned to Ahmedabad in July 2015, where she has lived since.

The husband sought divorce, while the wife filed for restitution of conjugal rights. After hearing the case, the High Court bench ruled that the continuation of the marriage would only perpetuate cruelty upon both parties. Dissolving the marriage, the court ordered the pilot to pay his ex-wife a substantial monthly alimony for the rest of her life.