The Madhya Pradesh High Court in a recent ruling, upheld a divorce granted by a lower court. The High Court cited mental cruelty caused to the husband by the wife due to her alleged inappropriate conversations with male friends.
Husband’s Allegations
The alleged case revolves around a couple married in 2018. The husband, who is partially deaf, alleged that soon after marriage, his wife began mistreating his mother. He further claimed that she left his home within two months of marriage. The husband in his complaint also claims that his wife is always engaged in indecent chats with her former lovers through WhatsApp.
During the hearing, the High Court bench comprising Justices Vivek Rusia and Gajendra Singh took note of these allegations, Following which the bench stated that such behavior in any marital relationship is intolerable.
Court Rules Against Indecent Conversations After Marriage
The Court further stated that a man or a woman both once in a marital relationship cannot participate in undignified, vulgar or indecent conversation with friends of opposite gender.
The bench said, “No husband would tolerate that his wife is in conversation through mobile by way of this type of vulgar chatting. After marriage husband and wife both have freedom to have a conversation by way of mobile, chatting and other means with friends but the level of conversation should be decent and dignified, specially when it is with an opposite gender, which may not be objectionable to the life partner”- quoted by Bar and Bench.
Wife denies Allegations
Meanwhile, the wife has denied all allegations. The wife claimed that her husband had hacked her phone and fabricated the messages. She further went on accusing him of domestic violence and demanding Rs 25 lakh in dowry. However, the High Court, dismissing her claims, noted that she had not filed any counter-complaint or FIR against the husband.
The court during the hearing observed that both spouses have the right to communicate with friends. But it also emphasised that the conversations must remain decent and dignified, especially when it is with an opposite gender. The Court stated that if the conversations are decent it may not be objectionable to the life partner.
Final Verdict
The bench also highlighted the statement of the wife’s father, who is a veteran lawyer. The father admitted that his daughter had the habit of talking to male friends. Following this the judges ruled that the husband’s allegations were substantiated and upheld the family court’s decision to grant him a divorce.
According to reports, Advocate Yash Pal Rathore represented the wife. Senior Advocate Virendra Sharma, along with Advocate Satish Yadav, appeared for the husband.
