Anil Parkash Sharma v. Sunita Rani

FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o 1oo o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o o o o o FAOoNo.1271oofo2020(O&M)o o o o o o o Dat oofo! "#$#o%&oMa'o1()o202*o o A%#+oPa,-a$.o/.a,0ao o o o o o o o o o ........A11 ++a%to o o o o Versuso /2%#taoRa%#oooo o o o o o o o o o o o o ......oR $1o%! %to o CORAM&3oo HON4B5EoMR/.JU/TICEo5I/AoGI55o o o HON6B5EoMR/.oRITUoTAGOREo o Present:o Mr.oRamenderoChauhan,oAdvocateo o o forotheoappellant.o o o o Ms.oShavetaoSanghi,oAdvocateo o o forotheorespondent.o oo o o o o *****o 5I/AoGI55)oJ.o

¶1Appellant-husband has filed this appeal, challenging judgment and decree dated 10.01.2020 passed by the learned Family Court, Hisar, whereby petition under Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (for short 'the Act') filed by the respondent-wife has been allowed.

¶2Brief facts necessary for adjudication of the matter are that respondent-wife filed a petition under Section 13 of the Act, seeking dissolution of her marriage with the present appellant, which was solemnized on 15.11.2005 at Bhiwani. She pleaded that marriage was consummated, but no child was born from the wedlock. She pleaded that parties did not have a happy marriage as since the day of marriage, she was harassed by the husband and his family members beyond limits. Appellant-husband is stated to have fallen to bad habits including that of imbibing FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o 2oo o excessive liquor. It is alleged that he used to come home late at night under influence of liquor along with his friends and would compel her to cook food for all of them and would pick up quarrels with her without any reasonable cause and even physically abused her. Household expenses, it is stated were never given to her, to the contrary, she was pressurized to bring money from her parents. When she expressed her inability to bring money from her parents and also requested him to give up his vices, he would beat her and turn her out of the matrimonial home. It is pleaded that she was turned out of her matrimonial home on several occasions, but each time she was settled in the matrimonial home due to intervention of Panchayat and after fulfilling demands of the appellant-husband and his family members, directly or indirectly. It is further pleaded that appellant-husband was in the habit of wasting his income by living a life of extravagance. However, she continued to perform her matrimonial obligations with love and respect as she wanted to save her matrimony, but the husband and his family members always treated her like a servant without even providing her a proper meal. Vices of the husband were supported by all the family members. It is also stated that it came to her notice that husband was having extra-marital relations with some other lady to whom he was giving a major part of his income. He refused to refrain from having contact with the said lady and even threatened to take divorce from her and perform second marriage. It is stated that in the month of June 2017, appellant-husband came home under influence of liquor and threw her out of the matrimonial home after beating her. The wife is stated to have reached her parental home and narrated the incident to her parents, who convened a Panchayat in which husband refused to cohabit with her. It is thus pleaded that husband has deserted her without any reasonable cause and that all his acts created a reasonable apprehension FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o *oo o in the mind of the wife that it would be harmful and injurious for her to continue living with him. Accordingly, she filed petition under Section 13 of the Act in the month of July 2019, seeking dissolution of marriage with the appellant-husband.

¶3Appellant-husband (respondent before the learned Family Court, Hisar), contested the petition. In the reply filed by him, he denied all allegations against him as contained in the petition, to be false and frivolous with concealment of true facts from the Court. He pleaded that marriage was a simple affair and that appellant lived with his wife affording all due love and affection to her. All family members also treated her with respect and affection. To the contrary, the wife was a quarrelsome lady and would boss around him and even call him bad names. It is asserted that the wife was in the habit of sleeping late at night and waking up late as well. She would never enter the kitchen or prepare any food etc and that she would demand new and expensive jewellery for herself. He further pleaded that the wife under influence of her parents pressurized him to live separately from his parents and even during his stay in the matrimonial home, she would talk with her mother and other relatives about lodging false dowry case against him and his family members. In order to save his married life, appellant stated that he started living separately from his parents in the year 2009. At the time of marriage, appellant had cleared her 10+2. When she expressed her desire to go for higher study, appellant arranged for the same and she completed her B.A and JBT course. Respondent-wife, it is stated joined government service as JBT teacher at Government Girls Primary School, Paluwas on 02.05.2017. This, it is stated was possible due to the encouragement and efforts of the husband. However, after joining government service as JBT teacher, the wife started bossing around and she FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o 7oo o left the matrimonial home along with all her jewellery and cash while refusing to join his company on the premise that now she was in government service while he was an agriculturist. Despite various requests by the husband, the wife is alleged to have refused to join the matrimonial home. Number of Panchayats were convened to bring her back, but parents of the wife raised demand of Rs. 10 lakhs for sending her to the matrimonial home. Appellant pleaded that he along with his family members was threatened with dire consequences, in case demand of Rs. 10 lakhs was not fulfilled. He pleaded that this act and conduct of the wife amounts to cruelty towards him and his family members, but he hoped that good sense would prevail and their marriage could be saved. Appellant also filed petition under Section 9 of the Act. All allegations regarding being addicted to alcohol and physical abuse of the wife are denied. It is pleaded that it is the wife herself, who intentionally deserted him without any sufficient cause, therefore dismissal of the petition was sought.

¶4From pleadings of the parties, following issues were framed by the learned Family Court:-

¶1Whether the respondent has treated the petitioner with such degree of cruelty as would amount to a matrimonial offence and the marriage has irretrievably failed? OPP

¶2Whether the respondent has deserted the petitioner? OPP

¶3Relief.

5.o o otho theo partieso ledo evidenceo ino supporto ofo theiro respectiveo claims!stands.o ".o o #earnedo $amil%o Court,o &isar,o aftero consideringo theo factso ando circumstanceso aso 'ello aso theo evidenceo ono record,o concludedo thato 'ifeo hado succeededo ino provingo hero caseo ando 'aso entitledo too theo decreeo ofo divorce.o FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o 5oo o Accordingly,o petitiono undero Sectiono 13o ofo theo Act,o filedo byo theo wifeo waso allowed,ovideojudgmentoandodecreeodatedo10.01.2020,opassedobyotheolearnedo FamilyoCourt,oHisar.o

7.o o Aggrievedo therefrom,o presento appealo haso beeno filedo byo theo appellant-husband.o

8.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo appellanto vehementlyo arguedo thato theo learnedoFamilyoCourt,oHisar,ohasogrosslyoerredoonofactsoandoinolawoinoallowingo theopetitionounderoSectiono13oofotheoAct.oIn-fact,otheowifeohasobeenoaffordedo benefitoofoheroownowrong.oItoisoassertedothatotheowifeowasoableotoocompleteohero highero educationo ando geto ao jobo aso JBTo teachero onlyo dueo too effortso ofo theo appellant,owithotheoentireoexpenseobeingoborneobyohim.oItoisoonlyoafterogettingo theojobothatosheochoseotoodesertotheoappellantoandoitoisonotoaocaseowhereoanyo crueltyohasobeenometedooutotooheroandoneitherohasotheoappellantoeverodesertedo her.oItoisocontendedothatoappellantoisoin-factoaolargeoheartedoman,owhooallowedo herotoocompleteoheroeducation.oReferenceoisomadeotootheostatementoofoPW-2oi.e,o motheroofotheowifeotoosayothatosheocouldonotoevenorevealofromowhereotheowifeo gototheomoneyotoostudy.oTherefore,oitoisoapparentothatotheoappellantoisonotoguiltyo ofoanyocruelty.oFurthermore,ofromotheoyearo2005otillo2016,otheowifeolodgedonoo complaintowhatsoeveroagainstotheoappellantoorohisofamilyomembersoandoneithero isothereoanyomedicaloevidenceoonorecordotooproveothatosheowasophysicallyoabusedo byotheoappellant.oEvenoasoonodate,oappellantoseeksotooresumeomatrimonialotieso withotheorespondent-wife,owhooitoisostatedoisonowoinoaolive-inorelationshipowitho somebodyoelseoandohasoevenogivenobirthotooaochildofromothisoillegaloalliance.oNoo evidenceohasobeenoledotooproveothatotheoappellantowasoinoaorelationshipowithoanyo otheroladyoandotheosameoisoprovedotoobeoaobaselessoallegation.oItoisothusoprayedo thatothisoappealobeoallowedoandojudgmentoandodecreeodatedo20.01.2020,opassedo byotheolearnedoFamilyoCourt,oHisar,obeosetoasideoandopetitionounderoSectiono13o ofotheoAct,ofiledobyotheorespondent-wifeobeodismissedothroughout.oSANJAY KHAN FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o 6oo o

9.o o Perocontra,olearnedocounseloforotheorespondentowhileorefutingoallo theoargumentoasoraisedoonobehalfoofotheoappellantosubmitsothatopresentoisoaocaseo whereotheowifeowasosubjectedotooabjectocrueltyorightofromotheoveryobeginning.o Sheowasoaoyoungowomanoatotheotimeoofomarriageoandohadodreamsoofoaohappyo matrimonyo likeo anyo normalo girl.o However,o sheo waso subjectedo too extremeo harassmento ando crueltyo ato theo handso ofo theo appellant,o whoo waso addictedo too alcoholo ando othero bado vices.o Ito iso submittedo thato theo respondent-wifeo nevero lodgedoanyocomplaintotillofilingoofotheopetitionoseekingodivorceoforotheoreasono thatosheodidonotohaveotheowherewithalotoopursueotheosameoandoneitherowasohero parentalofamilyofinanciallyosoundoenoughotoosupportoher.oInothisosituation,osheo decidedotoofirstocompleteoheroeducation,ostandoonoheroownofeetoandothereaftero takeonecessaryosteps.oInocase,osheohadofiledocomplaintsoetc.,oheroattentionowouldo haveo beeno divertingo fromo attainingo education.o Ito iso deniedo thato expenseo ofo educationowasoborneobyotheoappellant.oTheowife,oitoisostatedohasocategoricallyo statedothatosheowouldogiveotuitionsoandoalsoodootheoworkoofobeauticianotooraiseo financeoheroeducation.oTootheocontrary,oappellantoasowelloasotheowitnessesowhoo haveodeposedoonohisobehalfohaveoadmittedothatoheoisounemployedoandoisonoto doingo anyo work.o Ato theo timeo ofo marriage,o appellanto waso workingo aso ano electricianoatotheoshop,obutothereafter,oheostoppedoworkingoandoseeksoresumptiono ofomatrimonialotiesoonlyobecauseotheorespondent-wifeohasoaopermanentojoboando wouldobeohisoregularosourceoofoincome.oFurthermore,opetitionounderoSectiono9oofo theoActofiledobyotheoappellant-husbandocanobeoofonooavailoasotheoconductoofotheo husbandoindicatesothatoheoisonotoin-factointerestedoinoresumingomatrimonialotieso dueotooanyoaffectionoforoher.oItoisothusoprayedothatoimpugnedojudgmentoando decreeo10.01.2020opassedobyotheolearnedoFamilyoCourt,oHisar,obeoupheldoando presentoappealobeodismissedobeingodevoidoofoanyomerits.o

10.o o Weo haveo heardo learnedo counselo foro theo partieso ando haveo goneo throughotheorecordowithotheiroableoassistance.o FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o 7oo o

11.o o Marriageobetweenotheopartiesoasosolemnizedoono15.11.2005,oisoao mattero ofo record.o Ito iso furthero admittedo thato noo childo waso borno fromo thiso wedlock.oPartiesolivedotogetherofromo2005otilloJuneo2017.oAdmittedly,otheowifeo hadoclearedohero10+2oatotheotimeoofomarriage.oSheocompletedoherostudiesoaftero marriage.oItoisocategoricallyostatedobyotheowifeoinoherotestimonyowhileodeposingo asoPW-1,othatosheocouldonotocompleteoheroBAoandoJBToCourseofromo2002otillo 2006o becauseo duringo thiso period,o sheo learnto theo worko ofo boutiqueo ando beautician.oSheosecuredoadmissionoinoD-edocourseoinotheoyearo2009oi.e.,ofouro yearsoafteroheromarriage;obesidesotakingocoachingoforoHTET.oSheowasoselectedo asoJBToteacheroinotheoyearo2014.oPW-1,otheorespondent-wifeohasoexplainedothato priorotoo2014,osheowouldogiveotuitionsoandoalsooworkedoasoaobeauticianotooearno enoughomoneyotoopayoforoheroeducation.oDetailsoofostudentsowhootookotuitionso fromoherohaveobeenogivenoinoherotestimony.oSheohasocategoricallyostatedothatosheo livedoinotheomatrimonialohomeofromotheodateoofoheromarriageotillotheotimeosheo wasothrownooutothereof.ooSheostatedothatoPanchayatsowereoconvenedo10otoo15o timesofromotheoyearo2005otilloAugusto2016.oHowever,onoocriminaloproceedingso wereoinitiatedobyoheroasosheocouldonotopursueotheosameoalongowithoherostudies.o WeodoonotofindoanyoreasonotoodisbelieveotheotestimonyoofoPW-1,owhichoisodulyo corroboratedo byo PW-2,o hero mother,o whoo haso deposedo regardingo theo maltreatmentometedooutotooherodaughteroinoheromatrimonialohomeoatotheohandso ofotheoappellantoandohisofamilyomembers.oAppellantohasobeenounableotoobringoono recordoanyoevidenceoonorecordotoodiscreditotheoreliableoversionoofotheowife.o

12.o o Inotheogivenofactsoandocircumstances,oinoouroconsideredoopinion,o theo respondent-wifeo haso successfullyo provedo hero caseo ono theo touchstoneo ofo preponderanceoofoprobabilities.oThereoisonooevidenceoonorecordowhichocausesouso toodoubtotheoversionoasoput-forthobyoher.oIn-fact,oweofindoaodefiniteoringoofotrutho tootheostandotakenobyotheowifeothatosheodidonotoindulgeoinoinitiationoofocriminalo proceedingsoagainstoherohusbandoandofamilyomembersoforotheoreasonothatosheo FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o 8oo o wishedo too focuso ono completingo hero highero studieso ando becomingo financialo independento ando thato sheo dido noto haveo theo wherewithalo too carryo outo thato litigation.oTheoexactowordousedobyoheroinoherocross-examinationoisothato'herobacko waso noto strong'o enougho too initiateo ando carryo ono witho litigationo againsto theo appellant-husbandoandohisofamilyomembers.oItoappearsothatotheowifeoinothisocaseo soughto too focuso ono hero educationo ando raisingo financeso foro theo same.o Accordingly,osheoundertookotheoworkoofobeautician,otookotuitionsoandodidonoto engageoinocriminalolitigation.oItoisoclearothatosheodidonotoevenowishotooburdenohero parentsowithotheosame.oMereoreferenceotootheostatementoofoPW-2,omotheroofotheo wifeotootheoextentothatosheocouldonotorevealotheosourceoofofinancesoofotheowife'so educationo iso ofo noo availo too theo appellanto ino theo giveno factualo matrix.o Ito iso correctlyoobservedobyotheolearnedoFamilyoCourtothatoeducationocoursesoinotheo StateoofoHaryanaoupotooBAooroJBToareonotosooexpensiveothatoitoisooutooforeachoofo everyocommonoperson.o

13.o o Argumentoraisedobyolearnedocounseloforotheoappellantothatoitowaso theoappellantowhooprovidedofinancesoforotheosame,oisonotoborneooutofromotheo record.o Appellant-husbando admitso thato initiallyo heo usedo too worko aso ano electrician,oearningoaosumoofoRs.15,000/-oorosooperomonth,ohowever,othereafter,o heowasounemployed.oRW-1,oaoneighbouroofotheohusbandocategoricallyostatedoino hisocross-examinationothatotheoappellantoisoun-employedothoughohaleoandohearty.o Anoattemptowasomadeobyotheoappellantotooproveothatoheohadoraisedomoneyoforo educationoofotheorespondent-wifeofromoRW-2,ohowever,oweodoonotofindoanyo meritoinotheosameoasoRW-2owhileostatingothatotheoappellantoborrowedomoneyo fromohimoforoeducationaloexpensesoofotheowifeowentoonotoostateothatotheosameo waso nevero paido too theo wifeo ino hiso presenceo ando neithero dido heo haveo anyo documentaryoprooforegardingoborrowingoofomoneyofromohimobyotheoappellant.o Thoughotransactionsoareohoweverostatedotoohaveobeenogoingoonosinceotheolasto15-20oyearsofromodateoofohisodepositionoi.e.,o21.12.2019.oRW-2,ocouldonotogiveotheo FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o 9oo o date,o montho oro theo amounto ofo moneyo whicho hado beeno borrowedo byo theo appellant.oThusomuchocredenceocannotobeoaffordedotootheotestimonyoofoRW-2.o

14.oo o FatheroofotheoappellantoalsoodeposedoasoRW-3.oHowever,othereoiso nothingoinohisotestimonyowhichocouldoshakeotheoversionoput-forthobyotheowife.o RW-3,o fathero ofo theo appellanto statedo thato theo appellanto waso sufferingo fromo backacheoandowasomentallyodisturbed.oHowever,oitoisoaomatterooforecordothato thereo iso noo evidenceo ono recordo too indicateo thato theo appellanto waso mentallyo disturbedoinoanyomanner.oTreatmentoslipsoEx.oPW-5/EoandoEx.oPW-5/Fomerelyo reflectotheoappellantotoobeosufferingofromopainoinotheoloweroback/spineoregion.o Furthermore,oappellant,ohisofatheroandootherowitnessesoofotheoappellantohaveo statedothatorespondent-wifeowasoaoladyoofoquarrelsomeoandobossyonatureobesideso havingotheohabitoofosleepingolateoatonightoandowakingoupolateoandosheonevero enteredotheokitchenooropreparedoanyofood.oAllegationothatorespondent-wifeo wasoinohabitoofosleepingolateoatonightoandowakingoupolate,oisobeliedobyotheo evidenceoonorecord,owhereinoitoisoadmittedothatosheousedotoogooforoclassesoato

8.00oa.moinotheomorning.oThereoisonoopalpableoandocredibleoevidenceoquao otheroallegationsoasowell.oItoisoalsootoobeonotedothatoconveningoofoPanchayatso isoadmittedonotoonlyobyotheoappellantohimself,obutobyohisofatheroasowelloi.e.o RW-4.oRW-4,oadmittedothatoPanchayatsowereoconvenedo3-4otimes,othoughoheo didonotorememberotheodateoandotime.oTheofactothatoPanchayatsowereoconvenedo alsoocorroboratesotheoversionooforespondent-wifeoasopleaded.oo

15.o o Ino theo giveno factualo matrix,o learnedo Familyo Court,o Hisaro haso correctlyoheldothatoappellantoisoanoidleopersonoandoonlyosoughtotooenjoyotheo earningsoofohisowife.oItoisopertinentotoonoteoatothisostageothatoappellantohado alsoosoughtomaintenanceofromotheowifeobyowayoofofilingoanoapplicationoundero Sectiono24oofotheoActobeforeotheolearnedoFamilyoCourt,oHisar.oTheospend-thrifto habitso ofo theo appellanto areo apparento fromo theo recordo thato ono oneo FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o 10o o o occasion,oheoclaimedohimselfotoobeounemployedoseekingomaintenanceofromo theowifeoandoonotheootherohand,oheoadmittedotoobuyingoanoIndicaoCar,owhicho inoitselfocorroboratesotheostandoofotheowifeothatoappellantousedotooliveobeyondo hisomeans,owhileospendingomoneyoonoaolavisholifestyle.oo

16.o o Itoisotoobeonotedothatotheotermo'cruelty'oisonotodefinedoinotheoAct.o Itohasotoobeoreadoinocontextoofohumanoconductoandobehavioroinotheogiveno conspectusoofofacts.oCrueltyocanobeomentaloorophysicaloandothereoisonoostraito jacketoformulaoforodefiningotheosame.oItowouldodependouponotheosensibilitieso ando sensitivitieso ofotheopersonsoinvolved.o Theo Hon'bleo Supremeo Courto ino PraveenoMehtaoVs.oInderjitoMehta,o2002(5)oSCCo706,oheldoasounder:-o "Theo legalo conceptiono ofo crueltyo ando theo kindo ofo degreeo ofo crueltyonecessaryotooamountotooaomatrimonialooffenceohasonoto beeno definedo undero theo Act.o Probably,o theo Legislatureo haso advisedlyo refrainedo fromo makingo anyo attempto ato givingo ao comprehensiveodefinitionoofotheoexpressionothatomayocoveroallo cases,o realisingo theo dangero ino makingo sucho attempt.o Theo acceptedo legalo meaningo ino Englando aso alsoo ino Indiao ofo thiso expression,owhichoisoratherodifficultotoodefine,ohadobeeno'conducto ofo sucho charactero aso too haveo causedo dangero too life,o limbo oro healtho (bodilyo oro mental),o oro aso too giveo riseo too ao reasonableo apprehensionoofosuchodanger'o(Russelov.oRussel,o1897oACo395o andoMullaoHinduoLaw,o17thoEdition,oVolumeoIIopageo87).oTheo provisionoinoclauseo(ia)oofoSectiono13(1),owhichowasointroducedo byotheoMarriageoLawso(Amendment)oAct,o68oofo1976,osimplyo statesothato"treatedotheopetitionerowithocruelty".oTheoobject,oito wouldo seem,o waso too giveo ao definitionoexclusiveo oro inclusive,o whichowilloamplyomeetoeveryoparticularoactooroconductoandonoto FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o 11o o o failoinosomeocircumstances.oByotheoamendmentotheoLegislatureo must,o therefore,o beo understoodo too haveo lefto too theo Courtso too determineoonotheofactsoandocircumstancesoofoeachocaseowhethero theoconductoamountsotoocruelty.oThisoisojustoasowellosinceoactionso ofomenoareosoodiverseoandoinfiniteothatoitoisoalmostoimpossibleotoo expectoaogeneralodefinitionowhichocouldobeoexhaustiveoandonoto failoinosomeocases.oItoseemsopermissible,otherefore,otooenteroao caveato againsto anyo judicialo attempto ino thato directiono (Mullao HinduoLaw,o17thoEdition,oVolumeoII,opageo87)."o o

17.o o InoA.oJayachandraoVs.oAneeloKaur,o2005(1)oRCRo(Civil)o309,o itohasobeenoheldobyotheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtothat:o "Theo expressiono "cruelty"o haso noto beeno definedo ino theo Act.o Crueltyocanobeophysicalooromental.oCrueltyowhichoisoaogroundo foro dissolutiono ofo marriageo mayo beo definedo aso wilfulo ando unjustifiableoconductoofosuchocharacteroasotoocauseodangerotoo life,olimboorohealth,obodilyooromental,ooroasotoogiveoriseotooao reasonableo apprehensiono ofo sucho ao danger.o Theo questiono ofo mentalocrueltyohasotoobeoconsideredoinotheolightoofotheonormsoofo maritalotiesoofotheoparticularosocietyotoowhichotheopartiesobelong,o theiro socialo values,o status,o environmento ino whicho theyo live.o Cruelty,oasonotedoabove,oincludesomentalocruelty,owhichofallso withinotheopurviewoofoaomatrimonialowrong.oCrueltyoneedonotobeo physical.oIfofromotheoconductoofotheospouse,osameoisoestablishedo and/oroanoinferenceocanobeolegitimatelyodrawnothatotheotreatmento ofotheospouseoisosuchothatoitocausesoanoapprehensionoinotheomindo ofotheootherospouse,oaboutohisooroheromentalowelfareothenothiso FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o 12o o o conductoamountsotoocruelty.oInoaodelicateohumanorelationshipo likeomatrimony,ooneohasotooseeotheoprobabilitiesoofotheocase.oTheo conceptoproofobeyondotheoshadowoofodoubt,oisotoobeoappliedotoo criminalo trialso ando noto too civilo matterso ando certainlyo noto too matterso ofo sucho delicateo personalo relationshipo aso thoseo ofo husbando ando wife.o Therefore,o oneo haso too seeo whato areo theo probabilitiesoinoaocaseoandolegalocrueltyohasotoobeofoundoout,onoto merelyoasoaomatteroofofact,obutoasotheoeffectoonotheomindoofotheo complainanto spouseo becauseo ofo theo actso oro omissionso ofo theo other.oCrueltyomayobeophysicaloorocorporealooromayobeomental.o Inophysicalocruelty,othereocanobeotangibleoandodirectoevidence,o butoinotheocaseoofomentalocrueltyothereomayonotoatotheosameotimeo beodirectoevidence.oInocasesowhereothereoisonoodirectoevidence,o Courtsoareorequiredotooprobeointootheomentaloprocessoandomentalo effectoofoincidentsothatoareobroughtooutoinoevidence.oItoisoinothiso viewo thato oneo haso too considero theo evidenceo ino matrimonialo disputes.o o Tooconstituteocruelty,otheoconductocomplainedoofoshouldo beo"graveoandoweighty"osooasotoocomeotootheoconclusionothatotheo petitionerospouseocannotobeoreasonablyoexpectedotooliveowithotheo otherospouse.oItomustobeosomethingomoreoseriousothano"ordinaryo wearo ando tearo ofo marriedo life".o Theo conducto takingo intoo considerationo theo circumstanceso ando backgroundo haso too beo examinedo too reacho theo conclusiono whethero theo conducto complainedo ofo amountso too crueltyo ino theo matrimonialo law.o Conducto haso too beo considered,o aso notedo above,o ino theo backgroundoofoseveralofactorsosuchoasosocialostatusoofoparties,o FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o 13o o o theiroeducation,ophysicaloandomentaloconditions,ocustomsoando traditions.oItoisodifficultotoolayodownoaopreciseodefinitionoorotoo giveoexhaustiveodescriptionoofotheocircumstances,owhichowouldo constituteo cruelty.o Ito musto beo ofo theo typeo aso too satisfyo theo conscienceoofotheoCourtothatotheorelationshipobetweenotheopartieso hadodeterioratedotoosuchoextentodueotootheoconductoofotheoothero spouseothatoitowouldobeoimpossibleoforothemotooliveotogethero withouto mentalo agony,o tortureo oro distress,o too entitleo theo complainingospouseotoosecureodivorce.oPhysicaloviolenceoisonoto absolutelyoessentialotooconstituteocrueltyoandoaoconsistentocourseo ofo conducto inflictingo immeasurableo mentalo agonyo ando tortureo mayowelloconstituteocrueltyowithinotheomeaningoofoSectiono10oofo theoAct.oMentalocrueltyomayoconsistoofoverbaloabusesoandoinsultso byo usingo filthyo ando abusiveo languageo leadingo too constanto disturbanceoofomentalopeaceoofotheootheroparty.oo o TheoCourtodealingowithotheopetitionoforodivorceoonotheo groundoofocrueltyohasotoobearoinomindothatotheoproblemsobeforeoito areothoseoofohumanobeingsoandotheopsychologicalochangesoinoao spouse'soconductohaveotoobeoborneoinomindobeforeodisposingoofo theopetitionoforodivorce.oHowever,oinsignificantoorotrifling,osucho conductomayocauseopainoinotheomindoofoanother.oButobeforeotheo conductocanobeocalledocruelty,oitomustotouchoaocertainopitchoofo severity.oItoisoforotheoCourtotooweighotheogravity.oItohasotoobeo seenowhetherotheoconductowasosuchothatonooreasonableopersono wouldo tolerateo it.o Ito haso too beo consideredo whethero theo complainantoshouldobeocalledouponotooendureoasoaopartoofonormalo humano life.o Everyo matrimonialo conduct,o whicho mayo causeo FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o 14o o o annoyanceotootheoother,omayonotoamountotoocruelty.oMereotrivialo irritations,oquarrelsobetweenospouses,owhichohappenoinoday-to-dayomarriedolife,omayoalsoonotoamountotoocruelty.oCrueltyoino matrimonialolifeomayobeoofounfoundedovariety,owhichocanobeo subtleoorobrutal.oItomayobeowords,ogesturesoorobyomereosilence,o violentooronon-violent."oo o

18.o o Gainfulo referenceo cano alsoo beo madeo too theo judgmento ofo theo Hon'bleoSupremeoCourtoinoSamaroGhoshoVs.oJayaoGhosh,o2007(4)oSCCo

511.o

19.o o Learnedocounseloforotheoappellantoatotheotimeoofoargumentsohado statedothatotheorespondentowasonowoinoaolive-inorelationshipowithosomebodyo elseofromowhichoaochildohadoalsoobeenoborn.oBeothatoasoitomay,oweodoonotofindo itotoobeoaosufficientogroundotoosetoasideoimpugnedojudgmentoandodecreeodatedo

10.01.2020oasoitodoesonotowashoawayotheoallegationsoagainstotheoappellant,o dulyoprovedoonorecord.oItoisotoobeonotedoatothisostageothatotheorespondent-wifeo hasodulyoprovedotheoallegationsoasoraisedobyoherobyoleadingoclearoandocogento evidence.oInotheogivenofactualomatrix,olearnedoFamilyoCourtohasocorrectlyo observedothatotheorespondent-wifeoisoentitledotootheodecreeoofodivorceoonotheo groundo ofo cruelty.o Conducto ofo theo appellanto alsoo indicateso thato heo iso noto seriousoaboutoseekingoresumptionoofomatrimonialoties.oArgumentoraisedoono behalfo ofo learnedo counselo foro theo appellanto thato filingo ofo petitiono undero Sectiono9oofotheoActorevealedohisointentionotooresumeocohabitationoisodevoido ofoanyomeritoasoadmittedlyopetitionounderoSectiono9owasofiledotwooyearsoaftero partieso startedo livingo separately.o Furthermore,o ito iso noto deniedo thato eveno subsequentlyo appellanto haso beeno submittingo complaintso againsto theo respondent-wife,o beforeo hero employero also.o Learnedo Familyo Courto haso FAOoNo.o1271oofo2020o(O&M)o o 15o o o specificallyoobservedoinotheoimpugnedojudgmentodatedo10.01.2020othatosinceo lasto threeo yearso despiteo earnesto effortso foro mediation,ononeoofo theopartieso displayedoanyoinclinationotooliveotogether.oPartiesohadobeenocalledoinopersono beforeothisoCourtoasowellobutodisinterestoinoresumptionoofomatrimonialotieso wasoevident.o

20.oo o Learnedocounseloforotheoappellantsoisounableotoopointooutoanyo illegality,o infirmityo oro irregularityo ino theo impugnedo judgmento datedo

10.01.2020,opassedobyotheolearnedoFamilyoCourt,oHisar,owhichocallsoforoanyo interferenceobyothisoCourtoinothisoappeal.o

21.o o Noootheroargumentohasobeenoraised.o

22.o o Judgmentoandodecreeodatedo10.01.2020,opassedobyotheolearnedo FamilyoCourt,oHisar,oisothusoupheld.o

23.o o Appealoisoaccordinglyodismissedowithonooorderoasotoocost.o o o o o o o o o o o oooo(LISAoGILL)o o o o o o o o o o JUDGEo o o o o o o o o o o o (RITUoTAGORE)o Mayo18,o2023.o o o o o o o JUDGEo s.khano o o Whetherospeaking/reasonedo :o oYes/No.o o o o Whetheroreportableo o :o Yes/No.o oo