The Karnataka High Court recently granted a divorce to a woman after it found that her husband had treated her like a “cash cow.” The division bench of Justices Alok Aradhe and J M Khazi ruled that treating a wife as a “cash cow” constitutes mental cruelty.
In 2020, a Family Court had denied the woman’s divorce request, prompting her to appeal to the High Court. The couple, who married in 1999 in Chikkamagaluru, had a child in 2001. The wife applied for divorce in 2017.
The woman presented bank account records and other documents showing that she had transferred Rs 60 lakh to her husband over the years.
The bench stated, “It is evident that the respondent (husband) treated the appellant as a cash cow and had a materialistic attitude towards her. The respondent had no emotional ties with the appellant. His attitude caused mental agony and emotional trauma to the appellant, sufficient to establish grounds for mental cruelty.”
The High Court criticized the Family Court for not properly considering the wife’s testimony, noting, “The Family Court erred in not appreciating the appellant’s version and should have noted that her testimony was not even cross-examined.”
The wife explained that her husband’s family faced financial difficulties, leading to conflicts among family members. She took a job in the UAE to help pay off the family’s debts and even bought agricultural land in her husband’s name. Despite her efforts, he remained financially dependent on her. In 2012, she set up a salon for him in the UAE, but he returned to India in 2013.
In the Family Court, the husband did not appear, resulting in an ex parte decision. The lower court had ruled that the grounds of cruelty were not proven.
The Karnataka High Court’s decision underscores the importance of recognizing financial and emotional abuse in marital relationships, ensuring justice for those affected.
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