The decision comes following Kunal Kapur’s appeal against a family court order that initially denied him a divorce. The high court deemed the public accusations made by his wife, which included reckless, slanderous, and baseless charges, as constituting cruelty towards him.
“In the light of the aforenoted facts of the present case, we find that the conduct of the respondent (wife) towards the appellant (husband) has been such that it is devoid of dignity and empathy towards him,” stated a bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Neena Bansal Krishna.
The couple, who tied the knot in April 2008 and welcomed a son in 2012, found themselves at odds over various issues. Kapur accused his wife of disrespecting his parents and subjecting him to humiliation, while she countered by alleging that he had misled the court with false accusations and fabricated stories to secure a divorce.
The court acknowledged that conflicts are inevitable in any marriage but emphasized that when disagreements escalate to disrespect and inconsideration towards a spouse, the sanctity of the union is compromised. Despite the achievements of Kapur as a celebrity chef within two years of marriage, the court deemed the allegations made by his wife as attempts to tarnish his reputation, constituting cruelty.
“It is relevant to mention here that within two years of marriage, the appellant has established himself as a celebrity chef, which is a reflection of his hard work and determination…. Considering the aforesaid facts, it is only prudent to observe that these are mere allegations made by the respondent to disrepute the appellant in the eyes of the court and such unsubstantiated claims have the effect on one’s reputation and therefore, amounts to cruelty,” the bench stated.The verdict underscores the importance of dignity and empathy in marital relationships, setting a legal precedent for cases involving allegations of cruelty and disrespect between spouses.
(Inputs from PTI)
