The Odisha High Court has granted divorce to a man, ruling that his wife's mental harassment had made married life unbearable. The court observed that the husband's emotional and psychological suffering, caused by his wife's repeated suicide threats, numerous legal cases, and attempts to evict his elderly parents, amounted to cruelty. It stated that the law cannot compel a person to endure such hardship in marriage.
A bench comprising Justice Bibhu Prasad Routre and Justice Chittaranjan Dash declared that continuous threats of suicide constitute cruelty. Additionally, threats to harm the husband and his family amount to harassment and exploitation. The court emphasized that such behavior not only disrupts marital life but also has a lasting impact on the victim’s mental health.
The couple got married on May 11, 2003, and spent the initial years in harmony. However, tensions gradually escalated between them. The husband alleged that his wife pressured him to move away from his parents and demanded that he name her as the sole nominee in his insurance policies. He also accused her of constant arguments and severe mental harassment.
45 FIRs Filed Against the Husband
The husband filed for divorce on the grounds of cruelty. In response, the wife sought conjugal rights and lodged 45 FIRs against him. The Cuttack family court ruled in the husband's favor, concluding that the wife's behavior amounted to mental cruelty.
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The court observed that using outsiders to forcefully remove the husband's elderly parents from their home and attempting to gain financial control were serious acts of cruelty. The wife later challenged this ruling in the Odisha High Court, but her appeal was dismissed, reaffirming the lower court's verdict.