Burdwan, Oct. 10: A 55-year-old woman here has sought a court order to her husband to provide maintenance, claiming that though they lived apart for most of their 39 years of marriage, he had promised to take care of her post-retirement.

?My husband had promised to take my responsibility after he retired. He did so two years ago, but did not keep his promise,? said Ranu Chowdhury.

A resident of Untia village in Memari, 90 km from Calcutta, Ranu was married to Pronab Chowdhury, an employee of the Bihar auditor-general?s office posted in Ranchi, in 1965.

?After marriage, she was subjected to persecution by her mother-in-law. She was forced to return to her father, an affluent farmer at Untia, after a month,? said her counsel Sukumar Sain.

Neither Pronab nor any representative from his side was present in court when Ranu?s petition was heard about a fortnight ago.

The Burdwan court had tried to contact him in Ranchi. When there was no response, chief judicial magistrate Suvankar Bhattacharya went ahead with the hearing. He will deliver a verdict tomorrow.

Faced with penury since her father?s death five years ago, Ranu had no option but to claim maintenance from her husband, who has snapped ties.

The magistrate asked why she chose to return to her father?s house. Ranu said: ?It was impossible for me to stay in Ranchi. My husband advised me to return to my father?s house and assured me he would take my responsibility after his retirement.?

When she was struggling to adjust with her in-laws, Pronab apparently told her there was no point raising a hue and cry because ?status was at stake?. They could stay separately and see each once in a while, he suggested.

?He assured me that after retirement, he would stay with me,? Ranu said.

They occasionally met, but Pronab stopped visiting his wife after her father died. Sain said Ranu?s brother has taken control of their property and shunned his 93-year-old mother and sister. ?Now, they are faced with virtual starvation. The maintenance is their only hope.?