Punjab and Haryana High Court Grants Divorce After Wife Filed False Cases Against Husband
The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently granted divorce to a man, stating that his wife had subjected him to cruelty by filing multiple false and baseless complaints. The Court also awarded ₹18 lakh as permanent alimony to the wife.
The husband, Ratandeep Singh Ahuja, had filed for divorce under Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, on the grounds of cruelty and desertion. His plea was originally rejected by the Additional District Judge, Patiala, in May 2017. He then appealed to the High Court.
The case was heard by Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Nidhi Gupta, who reviewed the facts and found serious faults in the family court’s earlier decision.
The husband told the High Court that he married Harpreet Kaur in November 2012, and they lived together as husband and wife for only nine months. He said that his wife was dominating, disrespectful, and often picked fights without reason. He also claimed that she used abusive language and left him in September 2013, taking away all her dowry items—including gifts from his parents—and never returned.
He further alleged that his wife filed several false complaints, not just with the police but also with the Army Wives Welfare Association, attempting to harass him and his family.
The wife denied these accusations and claimed that she was the one who was deserted and mistreated. She accused her husband of dowry harassment, physical abuse, and not providing her with any maintenance.
The High Court, after examining the evidence, found that the wife had made serious, unproven allegations—even accusing her father-in-law of inappropriate behavior, which was not backed by any solid proof.
The Court observed that both parties had been living separately since 2013, and all efforts for mediation had failed. The judges said the relationship had clearly broken down beyond repair and had become a “mere legal fiction.”
To bring the long-standing dispute to an end and deliver complete justice, the Court allowed the husband’s appeal and granted him divorce.
In its final order, the Court directed the husband to pay ₹18 lakh as permanent alimony to the wife. This was in addition to the ₹23 lakh he had already paid her during the legal proceedings.
Case Title: Ratandeep Singh Ahuja v. Harpreet Kaur
Case Number: FAO-M-182 of 2017
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