Marital discord is not uncommon among young couples or those fighting the midlife crisis but a new trend has emerged in the past few weeks where wives have started complaining to Pune police’s Bharosa cell against retired husbands or those on verge of superannuation who don’t want to share their finances with their lifelong partners.In one such case, a Class I government officer’s wife demanded 50-60 per cent of the retirement benefits but in vain. She then had to make a plea before the Bharosa cell officers.The cell, a brainchild of police commissioner K Venkatesham, started operations in January this year. Through expert guidance of psychiatrists, social workers, lawyers and police counsellors, it solves problems of senior citizens, women and children who are victims of crime. An officer attached to the cell said they are receiving about 10 cases of advanced-age matrimonial discord every month.In another case, a 60-year-old man, after retirement, picked a fight with his wife. The wife complained against her husband in the cell that he was not paying her a penny of the retirement money. The 58-year-old woman submitted a written complaint in the Bharosa cell that she is mentally distressed because she wants half of the monthly pension amount and 50 per cent share of the provident fund money. Another 56-year-old complainant wants officers with the cell to write a letter to her husband asking him to part with 60 per cent of his money.The officer in charge of Bharosa cell, police inspector Vijaya Karande, said they cannot force the husband but only counsel him to do so.Karande told Mirror that such cases are increasing every week. “Every week, we are counselling two-three such cases. In the last three months, at least 20-25 cases I handled. During counselling sessions, we tell the wife that how much share given to her is all depends on paperwork. There are some processes in which the husband has to fill forms before retirement. We can’t force him to give his share. We just suggest them to fulfil your wife’s needs. It’s true that after retirement, husbands get large amount of money so wives expect an increase of share. In most of the cases, we sort out the problems by talking.”