Delhi High Court: While addressing a matter surrounding the issue of cruelty by wife, the Division Bench of Vipin Sanghi, ACJ and Dinesh Kumar Sharma, J., expressed that,
“It has repeatedly been held that accusations of unchastity or extra marital relationship is a grave assault on character, status, reputation as well as health of the spouse against whom such allegations were made.”
Appellant invoked this Court’s jurisdiction under Section 19 of the Family Courts Act, 1984 assailing the impugned judgment whereby Family Court granted a decree of divorce in favour of respondent/husband under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1995.
Background
Husband had filed a divorce petition on the ground of cruelty and on the basis of the same, Family Court had granted divorce decree.
Husband’s allegations were with regard to wife’s lifestyle, attitude and strange behaviour towards his parents.
Appellant/wife in her defense stated that she was tortured and harassed by her in-laws on account of their dowry demands and father-in-law had also sexually assaulted her. She added that the husband used to force her to commit suicide, for which she had filed a complaint.
In furtherance to the above, the appellant stated that she wanted to continue with the matrimonial alliance, and thus she filed the petition under Section 9 of the HMA.
Analysis and Decision
In Court’s opinion, the Family Court had correctly appreciated the evidence and rightly found that the appellant by making unfounded allegations amounting to character assassination against the husband inflicted mental cruelty upon the husband.
Further, the Court expressed that, accusations of unchastity or extra marital relationship causes mental pain, agony suffering and tantamount to cruelty.
The allegations of extra marital affairs in relationship are serious allegations, which have to be made with all seriousness. The tendency of making false allegations has to be deprecated by the Courts.
While concluding the matter, the High Court held that there was no material on the record to upset or set aside the order of the Family Courts.
The marriage is solemn relation and it’s purity must be maintained for a healthy society.
In view of the above, the matter was dismissed. [Jyoti Yadav v. Neeraj Yadav, 2022 SCC OnLine Del 795, decided on 21-3-2022]
Advocates before the Court:
For the Petitioner: Mr Rajeev Pratap Singh, Adv. with appellant in person.
For the Respondent: Ms Zubeda Begum, Ms Sana Ansari and Ms Ishita Mohanty, Advocates