Singer Udit Narayan Faces Legal Battle With First Wife Over Property & Maintenance
Singer Udit Narayan Faces Legal Battle With First Wife Over Property & Maintenance
Ranjana has raised concerns regarding neglect and financial disagreements related to land and maintenance payments.
Udit Narayan recently attended a session at the Supaul Family Court amid legal challenges, following allegations from his first wife, Ranjana Jha, who accuses him of misappropriating her property. Ranjana is requesting maintenance support due to her deteriorating health, while Udit counters with claims of extortion. The couple had previously resolved a matter at the Bihar Women’s Commission. Ranjana has raised concerns regarding neglect and financial disagreements related to land and maintenance payments. During his recent appearance at the family court, the singer rejected any possibility of a settlement.
A recent video showing him kissing a female fan on the lips gained widespread attention, resulting in backlash.
A report from Navbharat Times indicates that he alleged Ranjana attempted to extort money from him. Ranjana, through her attorney, reportedly expressed her desire to spend her remaining years with Udit Narayan due to her deteriorating health. In a media statement outside the court, she accused the singer of neglecting her and retaining Rs 18 lakh from the proceeds of her land sale.
Ranjana has claimed that she is being followed by individuals with ill intentions during her visits to Mumbai.
Ranjana contended that they were married in 1984, prior to his relocation to Mumbai for career opportunities, and she alleged that he never informed her of his second marriage or sought a divorce.
Udit Narayan married Deepa Gahatraj in 1985, and they welcomed a son two years later. In 2006, a controversy arose when Ranjana Jha publicly asserted her status as Udit’s first wife during a show in Patna. Although Udit initially refuted her claims, he later acknowledged them and agreed to provide her with maintenance.
Their complicated relationship began on December 7, 1984, when Udit and Ranjana tied the knot. However, after Udit gained prominence in 1988, he reportedly began to distance himself from her. In 2006, amid increasing conflicts, Ranjana sought assistance from the Women’s Commission, where he allegedly assured her of financial support, including a promise of a flat, but ultimately did not honor his commitments.
A new maintenance case was subsequently initiated in the family court. In his written defense, Narayan alleged that Ranjana Jha was trying to extort money and had submitted misleading information to the court.
He also noted that a previous dispute was amicably resolved at the Bihar Women’s Commission in 2013, during which he consented to a monthly payment of Rs 15,000, which was later raised to Rs 25,000 in 2021. Furthermore, the singer asserted that he provided her with a house worth Rs 1 crore, along with agricultural land and jewelry valued at Rs 25 lakh.
In response to these assertions, she alleged that he withheld Rs 18 lakh from a land transaction in Nepal and continued to refuse to acknowledge her as his legitimate wife. She further accused him of harassment when she sought to meet him in Mumbai.
In the meantime, according to the same source, human rights attorney S.K. Jha has taken the matter further by submitting two petitions to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Bihar Human Rights Commission (BHRC). Jha emphasized that, according to the Indian Constitution and the Hindu Marriage Act, remarrying without legally terminating a prior marriage is illegal. He contended that Udit Narayan’s actions infringe upon women’s rights and represent a breach of human rights.
As the legal dispute escalates, the involvement of the Human Rights Commission may complicate the singer’s legal situation further.
