Maintenance petition filed by wife who deserted husband

Wife deserted husband within 2 years of marriage citing her mother's ill-health - then stayed there for 3 years and never came back except once to pick up her belongings. Now 3 years later, she's filed a petition for maintenance from husband claiming the husband has deserted her and cooked up all kinds of lies in her petition around abuse, harassment, etc. 1. What are the options for the husband to ensure this petition is closed as null and void? 2. What are all the potential outcomes I can expect out of this petition? (so that I may be mentally prepared for them) 3. If the husband provides evidence to prove it was the wife who deserted the husband and not the other way round, would the petition be closed as null and void? 4. Would proving that the allegations of desertion and cruelty/harassment as lies help in negating the maintenance claim as well? 5. Would I be directed to pay maintenance even after I prove all her allegations false and that she deserted me without any valid reason and not me her? 6. If paying maintenance is unavoidable, what options could I explore to reduce it to as low as possible? 7. If maintenance is unavoidable, how do we ensure once we explore all options to lower it max possible, then ensure the maintenance amount is not raised again time after time?