The Calcutta High Court recently ruled that a man can file for divorce if his wife forces him to live apart from his parents without a valid reason. The court stated that such an action amounts to mental cruelty and provides sufficient grounds for divorce.
The judgment came while the court was hearing a petition filed by a woman who challenged a family court’s decision that granted divorce to her husband. The division bench, comprising Justices Soumen Sen and Uday Kumar, upheld the family court’s ruling, stating that it is entirely normal for a son to live with and care for his parents, as it aligns with Indian cultural values. The bench further remarked that sons have a moral and cultural duty to look after their parents.
The case began in 2009 when a family court in West Midnapore, West Bengal, granted divorce to Prashant Kumar Mandal, citing mental cruelty by his wife, Jharna, who tried to separate him from his parents. Dissatisfied with the judgment, Jharna appealed to the Calcutta High Court, hoping for a reversal of the divorce decree. However, the High Court dismissed her plea, reaffirming the original family court’s decision.
The ruling highlights the importance of family bonds in Indian culture, where it is considered the son’s responsibility to support and care for his parents. The court’s decision emphasizes that unjustly pressuring a man to sever ties with his parents can be considered a form of mental cruelty in marital relationships.
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