The Karnataka High Court recently ruled that a husband’s false allegations of adultery against his wife amount to mental cruelty. This decision was made by the division bench of Justices KS Mudagal and KV Aravind, who also stated that such conduct gives the wife sufficient reason to leave her husband.
The court noted, “The unsubstantiated allegations of the husband relating to adultery of wife, suspicion on the character of wife, and doubting the paternity of the child compelling the wife and son to undergo a DNA test amount to the petitioner self-inflicting mental cruelty to the wife.”
This ruling overturned a divorce decree granted to a man in 2011. The couple had been married since May 1999, and in 2003, the husband sought a divorce from the Family Court. He accused his wife of staying with her parents frequently and quarreling with him often. He also suspected her of adultery and performing ‘black magic.’
The Family Court dismissed the adultery claims but granted the divorce on grounds of cruelty. The wife challenged this decision in the High Court.
Her counsel argued that the Family Court accepted an allegation that drugs were administered to the husband without any blood test or forensic evidence. The counsel also noted the lack of evidence supporting claims of black magic.
The High Court also considered the wife’s claims of dowry demands and her visits to her parents’ house. The Court found no fault in the wife visiting her parents every three months, stating, “It is natural that a married woman visits her parents’ house once in three months to inquire about the well-being of her family. This is a normal practice in all families.”
The Court rejected the husband’s allegations of black magic and administering drugs, finding no basis for these claims. The wife denied staying fifteen days a month at her parents’ house, and no evidence was presented to support the husband’s claims during cross-examination.
In conclusion, the High Court ruled that the husband’s unfounded allegations of adultery amounted to mental cruelty. The Court stated that he cannot benefit from his own wrongful actions and found all his allegations to be baseless.
The Court emphasized that for allegations of cruelty to justify a divorce, they must be proven. The Court allowed the wife’s appeal and set aside the divorce decree. Additionally, the Court imposed a fine of ₹10,000 on the husband for abusing the legal process.
