June 13, 2018:
Punjab and Haryana HC has expounded that,"Maltreating and torturing the wife over an affair she had before marriage amounts to cruelty, a ground for dissolution of marriage".
HC Bench comprising of Justice MMS Bedi and Justice Hari Pal Verma stated that,“The treatment given to Appellant (wife) by Respondent (husband) is unbecoming of a prudent man. Act of the respondent had been an act of punishment to the appellant merely because she had disclosed truth having an affair with one”.
Punjab and Haryana HC made above stated observations while allowing an appeal of dissolution of marriage by a Chandigarh Woman.
The Appellant, Wife had got married in November 2012, has alleged that her husband and his family members tortured her because of which she left his house within 20 days.
She then approached District Courts for divorce in 2013, but the plea was dismissed in March 2016. She had challenged this decision in HC in July 2016.
She submitted before the HC Bench that she was having an affair with another person but her parents forced her to marry the respondent, who was 10 years older to her.
She had alleged his family started maltreating and beating her as she had told them about her past affair.
She stated that she had kept locked in House and not allowed to meet anyone.
Her in-laws had accused her of stealing ornaments, but during the proceedings in the Chandigarh Court, they did not appear as the witness to counter her allegations.
Husband had denied allegations but admitted to having knowledge of her past affair.
High Court further added that,“It is established that Appellant was neither maintained properly nor she was fairly treated. She was given beatings as deposed by her,” while holding that she had been treated with the cruelty by her husband and in-laws and was compelled to leave their house because of this conduct.
Source Hindustan Times
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