The Telangana High Court has ruled that damaging a spouse’s reputation, social standing, or work opportunities can amount to cruelty under the Hindu Marriage Act. The Court also observed that in today’s digital age, depriving a spouse of access to platforms like Facebook and Instagram may also be considered cruelty.
A division bench of Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya and Justice M.G. Priyadarshini made these observations while granting a divorce decree in favour of a husband whose wife had filed multiple criminal cases against him. The Court clarified that marriage cannot be forced upon individuals and that courts should not act as counsellors to compel couples to live in a loveless relationship.
The couple married in 2010, but disputes surfaced soon after. In 2011, the wife left the matrimonial home and filed five criminal cases against her husband, including charges of cruelty and dowry harassment under Section 498A IPC. Although she briefly stayed with him in May 2015, she soon left and filed more cases. The husband was acquitted in some of these proceedings.
In 2021, the Trial Court dismissed the husband’s divorce plea, stating he failed to prove cruelty. On appeal, however, the High Court disagreed, noting that the wife’s repeated filing of criminal cases, desertion, and mental harassment amounted to cruelty.
The bench stated that cruelty is not a fixed concept but evolves with societal changes. False cases and constant humiliation can cause severe mental suffering, making reconciliation impossible. The Court held that the marriage had irretrievably broken down and allowed the husband’s appeal for divorce.
Case Title: D. Narsimha (Narsimlu) vs. Smt. D. Anita Vaishnavi
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