Ditching a woman after promising to marry her proved costly for an ethnic-Indian man after a Malaysian court ordered him to pay her about Rs 10 lakh in compensation for breach of promise.

S Nagamah, 38, claimed that she had a three-year relationship with R Punnosamy, 41, before he decided to marry another girl.

Punnosamy, a law firm manager, admitted to having a relationship with Nagamah but claimed that he had never promised to marry.

Justice Mohd Azman Husin held that Nagamah had succeeded in proving her claims against Punnosamy.

The judge ordered Punnosamy to pay Nagamah, a clerk with another law firm, RM 50,000 for breach of promise to marry her, RM 20,000 for causing her mental anguish and loss of reputation and other costs estimated at RM 15,000, according to her counsel S Muthuveeran.

Punnosamy also had to pay her RM2,000 in compensation for slapping her after she allegedly threatened his fianc�e at a tuition centre in 2002.

Muthuveeran told reporters outside the court that Nagamah was still unmarried and suffering due to Punnosamy's actions.

"She was really in love with him. That's why she felt cheated," he said.

Meanwhile, Punnosamy's counsel said his client will appeal the decision.