Madhya Pradesh High Court
Ishan Sharma vs Smt. Swati Sharma on 30 June, 2017
Author: Ashok Kumar Joshi
Bench: Ashok Kumar Joshi
F.A. No. 153/2013.
1
HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH PRINCIPAL
SEAT AT JABALPUR
(Division Bench: Hon'ble Shri Justice S.K. Gangele
& Hon'ble Shri Justice Ashok Kumar Joshi)
First Appeal No. 153 of 2013.
Ishan Sharma
Versus
Smt. Swati Sharma
==================================
Shri Manoj Sharma and Shri Arpan Pawar, learned counsel
for the appellant.
None for the respondent.
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WHETHER APPROVED FOR REPORTING: YES/NO.
JUDGMENT
(Pronounced on 30/06/2017) Per S.K. Gangele J Appellant has filed this appeal against the judgment dated 17/01/2013 passed by the trial court in Civil Suit No. 41-A/2012.
2. The marriage of the appellant was solemnized with the respondent on 06/07/2007 at Bhopal in accordance with Hindu rituals and customs. At the relevant time, the appellant was working as Assistant Professor in Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. The respondent at the time of marriage was working as Research Scientist in Rainbaxy Company at Gurgaon. She left service after six months of marriage. In November, 2009 the respondent went to South Korea for prosecuting Ph.D. Course F.A. No. 153/2013.
2thereafter, she was studying at USA for certain period. The relations between the respondent and appellant were strained although both are highly educated, hence, appellant filed a suit for divorce under Section 13(1)(i)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 for dissolution of marriage.
3. The appellant pleaded that respondent practiced with him cruelty and it was not possible for him to live with the respondent. Behavior of the respondent was not proper from the beginning of marriage. When the appellant and respondent both had gone for Honeymoon in July, 2007. The respondent humiliated him and also accused him of infidelity. In the month of October, 2007 the respondent attempted to commit suicide by trying to slit her wrists. Her behavior was rude and rustic. It became more aggressive day by day . She also tried to jump out from the car when appellant was driving the car on Gurgaon- Delhi Highway. In between the period 2007-09 when both couple stayed at Kanpur, respondent locked the appellant inside a room for several hours and created nuisance. She left the house several times at night and sat out in the open in the bitter cold embarrassing the appellant. The conduct of the respondent was communicated to her parents. In December, 2008, the respondent had thrown F.A. No. 153/2013.
3phone at the head of the appellant and again in the month of October, 2009 misbehaved with the appellant and made bald and wild allegations against him and his mother.
4. The appellant further pleaded that respondent had left Kanpur for South Korea in November, 2009 for pursuing her Ph.D. Course. The appellant visited South Korea in May 2011, the respondent obstructed communication between the appellant and his family although his grandfather was suffering from stage-IV Pancreatic Cancer. Thereafter, the appellant returned to India. In the Month of July 2011, the appellant-husband visited USA at his sister place in New York. The respondent accused the appellant and levelled wild and baseless allegations against him and his sister. She also fought publicly with the appellant and accused her sister. Her behavior was rude and rustic. The family members have tried their best to solve the problem but there was no change in the behavior of the respondent. The appellant was working as Assistant Professor in IIT, Kanpur and due to mental pressure it was not possible for him to pursue his profession. The respondent left USA in July 2011 since then she did not return neither made any efforts for resumption of conjugal relationship, on these grounds the appellant is entitled to get a decree of divorce.
F.A. No. 153/2013.
4
5. The respondent sent written statement from USA to the Court. She denied the allegations in her written statement and pleaded that her marriage was arranged marriage. She further denied the fact that her behavior was rude and pleaded that she was living at Kanpur with the appellant from December, 2007 to November, 2009 and with the consent of the appellant and her parents she went to South Korea for Ph.D. The appellant used to come at South Korea and he lived with her for certain period thereafter, the respondent went to USA. She also pleaded that there may be differences between the husband and wife but these are natural but the relationship between the appellant and the respondent is cordial. The respondent went America, however, there is no such incident happened as pleaded by the appellant.
6. The appellant in his deposition deposed that the respondent levelled allegation that he had relationship with other lady. In the month of October, 2007 the respondent attempted to commit suicide by trying to slit her wrists and also the respondent had thrown phone at the head of the appellant. There was some dispute when the respondent was living with me at Kanpur from the month of December, 2007 to November 2009. In November 2009 the respondent went to South Korea to pursue her Ph.D. I F.A. No. 153/2013.
5went to South Korea in the year 2010-11 two times to meet the respondent and lived there. In July 2011 the respondent went to USA and I also went there. My sister was also pursuing her Ph.D. at USA, the respondent misbehaved with me and levelled baseless allegations against my sister. Since 2011, the respondent did not try to contact me and there is no contact between me and respondent.
7. Father of the appellant PW/2 deposed that the appellant used to made complaint about the behavior of the respondent, however, I advised him to solve problems I also contacted the father of the respondent and informed him that behavior of the respondent is not proper.
8. PW/3 Janvi Sharma the sister of the appellant also stated that the respondent levelled allegation that her brother had relationship with other lady. In the year 2011 when I went for Ph.D. at USA at that time respondent and appellant both came to meet me, however, the respondent levelled allegations against me at New York and other places and her behavior was cruel.
9. The respondent examined only herself to substantiate her claim. She pleaded that she wants to live with the appellant as wife she does not want divorce because it is not proper. The appellant encouraged me for F.A. No. 153/2013.
6higher education and with his inspiration I went to South Korea and USA for Ph.D. and he used to come there. She denied the allegation that she had made any allegation about sister of the appellant Janvi. She further denied the allegation that she had done any illegal act or incidence as levelled by the appellant. She admitted the fact that during her residence at South Korea, the appellant made complaint about my behaviour and my father made inquiry about the same from me. I denied the same but my father advised me that we have to resolve our disputes.
10. During the pendency of the appeal, the respondent was served when she was in Germany. Number of efforts have been made to serve the respondent. She did not engage any lawyer to contest the case. It is a fact that from 2011 she did not contact the appellant to resolve the disputes and whereabouts of the respondent at present are not known, it appears that the respondent has lost her interest to pursue the case because even after receiving summons from this Court, she did not send any communication to the Court or written reply to memo of appeal filed by the appellant.
11. The Apex Court in the case of Samar Ghosh Vs. Jaya Ghosh (2007) 4 SCC 511 has held as under in regard to mental cruelty which is a ground of divorce F.A. No. 153/2013.
7under Section 13(1)(i)(i-a) of the Hindu Marriage Act:-
"No uniform standard can ever be laid down for guidance, yet we deem it appropriate to enumerate some instances of human behaviour which may be relevant in dealing with the cases of 'mental cruelty'. The instances indicated in the succeeding paragraphs are only illustrative and not exhaustive.
(i) On consideration of complete matrimonial life of the parties, acute mental pain, agony and suffering as would not make possible for the parties to live with each other could come within the broad parameters of mental cruelty.
(ii) On comprehensive appraisal of the entire matrimonial life of the parties, it becomes abundantly clear that situation is such that the wronged party cannot reasonably be asked to put up with such conduct and continue to live with other party.
(iii) Mere coldness or lack of affection cannot amount to cruelty, frequent rudeness of language, petulance of manner, indifference and neglect may reach such a degree that it makes the married life for the other spouse absolutely intolerable.
(iv) Mental cruelty is a state of mind. The feeling of deep anguish, disappointment, frustration in one spouse caused by the conduct of other for a long time may lead to mental cruelty.
(v) A sustained course of abusive and humiliating treatment calculated to torture, discommode or render miserable life of the spouse.
(vi) Sustained unjustifiable conduct and behaviour of one spouse actually affecting physical and mental health of the other spouse. The treatment complained of and the resultant danger or apprehension must be very grave, substantial and weighty.
(vii) Sustained reprehensible conduct, studied neglect, indifference or total departure from the normal standard of conjugal kindness causing injury to mental health or deriving sadistic pleasure can also F.A. No. 153/2013.8
amount to mental cruelty.
(viii) The conduct must be much more than jealousy, selfishness, possessiveness, which causes unhappiness and dissatisfaction and emotional upset may not be a ground for grant of divorce on the ground of mental cruelty.
(ix) Mere trivial irritations, quarrels, normal wear and tear of the married life which happens in day to day life would not be adequate for grant of divorce on the ground of mental cruelty.
(x) The married life should be reviewed as a whole and a few isolated instances over a period of years will not amount to cruelty.
The ill-conduct must be persistent for a fairly lengthy period, where the relationship has deteriorated to an extent that because of the acts and behaviour of a spouse, the wronged party finds it extremely difficult to live with the other party any longer, may amount to mental cruelty.
(xi) If a husband submits himself for an operation of sterilization without medical reasons and without the consent or knowledge of his wife and similarly if the wife undergoes vasectomy or abortion without medical reason or without the consent or knowledge of her husband, such an act of the spouse may lead to mental cruelty.
(xii) Unilateral decision of refusal to have intercourse for considerable period without there being any physical incapacity or valid reason may amount to mental cruelty.
(xiii) Unilateral decision of either husband or wife after marriage not to have child from the marriage may amount to cruelty.
(xiv) Where there has been a long period of continuous separation, it may fairly be concluded that the matrimonial bond is beyond repair. The marriage becomes a fiction though supported by a legal tie. By refusing to sever that tie, the law in such cases, does not serve the sanctity of marriage; on the contrary, it shows scant F.A. No. 153/2013.
9regard for the feelings and emotions of the parties. In such like situations, it may lead to mental cruelty. "
"Under the breakdown theory, divorce should be seen as a solution and an escape route out of a difficult situation. Such divorce is unconcerned with the wrongs of the past, but is concerned with bringing the parties and the children to terms with the new situation and developments by working out the most satisfactory basis upon which they may regulate their relationship in the changed circumstances. Once the parties have separated and the separation has continued for a sufficient length of time and one of them has presented a petition for divorce, it can well be presumed that the marriage has broken down. The court, no doubt, should seriously make an endeavour to reconcile the parties; yet, if it is found that the breakdown is irreparable, then divorce should not be withheld. The consequences of preservation in law of the unworkable marriage which has long ceased to be effective are bound to be a source of greater misery for the parties. "
The Apex Court further in the case of Suman Kapur Vs. Sudhir Kapur (2009) 1 SCC 422 has held as under
in regard to mental cruelty:-
"30. The concept of cruelty has been dealt with in Halsbury's Laws of England [Vol.13, 4th Edition Para 1269] as under;
"The general rule in all cases of cruelty is that the entire matrimonial relationship must be considered, and that rule is of special value when the cruelty consists not of violent acts but of injurious reproaches, complaints, accusations or taunts. In cases where no violence is averred, it is undesirable to consider judicial pronouncements with a view to creating certain categories of acts or conduct as having or lacking the nature or quality which renders them capable or incapable in all circumstances of amounting to cruelty; for it is the effect of the conduct rather than its nature which is of F.A. No. 153/2013.10
paramount importance in assessing a complaint of cruelty. Whether one spouse has been guilty of cruelty to the other is essentially a question of fact and previously decided cases have little, if any, value. The court should bear in mind the physical and mental condition of the parties as well as their social status, and should consider the impact of the personality and conduct of one spouse on the mind of the other, weighing all incidents and quarrels between the spouses from that point of view; further, the conduct alleged must be examined in the light of the complainant's capacity for endurance and the extent to which that capacity is known to the other spouse".
31. In Gollins V. Gollins 1964 AC 644: (1963)2 All ER 966, Lord Reid stated:
"No one has ever attempted to give a comprehensive definition of cruelty and I do not intend to try to do so. Much must depend on the knowledge and intention of the respondent, on the nature of his (or her) conduct, and on the character and physical or mental weakness of the spouses, and probably no general statement is equally applicable in all cases except the requirement that the party seeking relief must show actual or probable injury to life, limb or health".
32. Lord Pearce also made similar observations;
"It is impossible to give a comprehensive definition of cruelty, but when reprehensible conduct or departure from normal standards of conjugal kindness causes injury to health or an apprehension of it, is, I think, cruelty if a reasonable person, after taking due account of the temperament and all the other particular circumstances would considered that the conduct complained of is such that this spouse should not be called on to endure it". [see also Russell v. Russell, (1897) AC 395 : (1895-99) All ER Rep 1].
F.A. No. 153/2013.11
33. The test of cruelty has been laid down by this court in the leading case of N.G. Dastane v. S. Dastane, (1975)2 SCC 326 thus:
"The enquiry therefore has to be whether the conduct charges as cruelty is of such a character as to cause in the mind of the petitioner a reasonable apprehension that it will be harmful or injurious for him to live with the respondent...."
34. In Sirajmohmedkhan Janmohamadkhan v. Haizunnisa Yasinkhan & Anr., (1981) 4 SCC 250, this Court stated that the concept of legal cruelty changes according to the changes and advancement of social concept and standards of living. It was further stated that to establish legal cruelty, it is not necessary that physical violence should be used. Continuous cessation of marital intercourse or total indifference on the part of the husband towards marital obligations would lead to legal cruelty.
35. In Shobha Rani v. Madhukar Reddi, (1988) 1 SCC 105, this Court examined the concept of cruelty. It was observed that the term `cruelty' has not been defined in the Hindu Marriage Act. It has been used in Section 13(1)(ia) of the Act in the context of human conduct and behavior in relation to or in respect of matrimonial duties or obligations. It is a course of conduct of one spouse which adversely affects the other spouse. The cruelty may be mental or physical, intentional or unintentional. If it is physical, it is a question of degree which is relevant. If it is mental, the enquiry must begin as to the nature of the cruel treatment and then as to the impact of such treatment on the mind of the other spouse. Whether it caused reasonable apprehension that it would be harmful or injurious to live with the other, ultimately, is a matter of inference to be drawn by taking into account the nature of the conduct and its effect on the complaining spouse.
36. There may, however, be cases where the conduct complained of itself is bad enough and per se unlawful or illegal. Then the impact or the injurious effect on the other spouse need not be enquired into or considered. In such cases, the cruelty will be established if the conduct itself is proved or admitted. The absence of intention should not make any difference in the case, if by ordinary F.A. No. 153/2013.
12sense in human affairs, the act complained of could otherwise be regarded as cruelty. Mens rea is not a necessary element in cruelty. The relief to the party cannot be denied on the ground that there has been no deliberate or wilful ill-treatment.
37. In V. Bhagat v. D. Bhagat (Mrs.), (1994) 1 SCC 337, the Court observed;
"Mental Cruelty in Section 13(1)(ia) can broadly be defined as that conduct which inflicts upon the other party such mental pain and suffering as would make it not possible for that party to live with the other. In other words, mental cruelty must be of such a nature that the parties cannot reasonably be expected to live together. The situation must be such that the wronged party cannot reasonably be asked to put up with such unintentional. If it is physical, it is a question of fact and degree. If it is mental, the enquiry must begin as to the nature of the cruel treatment and then as to the impact of such treatment on the mind of the spouse.
Whether it caused reasonable apprehension that it would be harmful or injurious to live with the other, ultimately, is a matter of inference to be drawn by taking into account the nature of the conduct and its effect on the complaining spouse. There may, however, be cases where the conduct complained of itself is bad enough and per se unlawful or illegal. Then the impact or the injurious effect on the other spouse need not be enquired into or considered. In such cases, the cruelty will be established if the conduct itself is proved or admitted. The absence of intention should not make any difference in the case, if by ordinary sense in human affairs, the act complained of could otherwise be regarded as cruelty. Intention is not a necessary element in cruelty. The relief to the party cannot be denied on the ground that there has been no deliberate or wilful ill-treatment or conduct and continue to live with the other party. It is not necessary to prove F.A. No. 153/2013.13
that the mental cruelty is such as to cause injury to the health of the petitioner. While arriving at such conclusion, regard must be had to the social status, educational level of the parties, the society they move in, the possibility or otherwise of the parties ever living together in case they are already living apart and all other relevant facts and circumstances which it is neither possible nor desirable to set out exhaustively. What is cruelty in one case may not amount to cruelty in another case. It is a matter to be determined in each case having regard to the facts and circumstances of that case. If it is a case of accusations and allegations, regard must also be had to the context in which they were made".
38. This Court in Chetan Dass v. Kamla Devi, (2001) 4 SCC 250, stated;
"14. Matrimonial matters are matters of delicate human and emotional relationship. It demands mutual trust, regard, respect, love and affection with sufficient play for reasonable adjustments with the spouse. The relationship has to conform to the social norms as well. The matrimonial conduct has now come to be governed by statute framed, keeping in view such norms and changed social order. It is sought to be controlled in the interest of the individuals as well as in broader perspective, for regulating matrimonial norms for making of a well- knit, healthy and not a disturbed and porous society. The institution of marriage occupies an important place and role to play in the society, in general. Therefore, it would not be appropriate to apply any submission of "irretrievably broken marriage" as a straitjacket formula for grant of relief of divorce. This aspect has to be considered in the background of the other facts and circumstances of the case".
39. Mental cruelty has also been examined by this F.A. No. 153/2013.
14Court in Parveen Mehta v. Inderjit Mehta (2002) 5 SCC 706 thus;
"Cruelty for the purpose of Section 13 (1) (ia) is to be taken as a behavior by one spouse towards the other, which causes reasonable apprehension in the mind of the latter that it is not safe for him or her to continue the matrimonial relationship with the other. Mental Cruelty is a state of mind and feeling with one of the spouses due to the behavior or behavioral pattern by the other. Unlike the case of physical cruelty, mental cruelty is difficult to establish by direct evidence. It is necessarily a matter of inference to be drawn from the facts and circumstances of the case. A feeling of anguish, disappointment and frustration in one spouse caused by the conduct of the other can only be appreciated on assessing the attending facts and circumstances in which the two partners of matrimonial life have been living. The inference has to be drawn from the attending facts and circumstances taken cumulatively. In case of mental cruelty it will not be a correct approach to take an instance of misbehavior in isolation and then pose the question whether such behavior is sufficient by itself to cause mental cruelty.
The approach should be to take the cumulative effect of the facts and circumstances emerging from the evidence on record and then draw a fair inference whether the petitioner in the divorce petition has been subjected to mental cruelty due to conduct of the other."
40. In A. Jayachandra v. Aneel Kaur, (2005) 2 SCC 22, the Court observed as under:
"10. The expression "cruelty" has not been defined in the Act. Cruelty can be physical or mental. Cruelty which is a ground for dissolution of marriage may be defined as wilful and unjustifiable conduct of such character as to cause danger to life, limb or health, bodily or mental, or as to give F.A. No. 153/2013.15
rise to a reasonable apprehension of such a danger. The question of mental cruelty has to be considered in the light of the norms of marital ties of the particular society to which the parties belong, their social values, status, environment in which they live. Cruelty, as noted above, includes mental cruelty, which falls within the purview of a matrimonial wrong. Cruelty need not be physical. If from the conduct of the spouse, same is established and/or an inference can be legitimately drawn that the treatment of the spouse is such that it causes an apprehension in the mind of the other spouse, about his or her mental welfare then this conduct amounts to cruelty. In a delicate human relationship like matrimony, one has to see the probabilities of the case. The concept proof beyond the shadow of doubt, is to be applied to criminal trials and not to civil matters and certainly not to matters of such delicate personal relationship as those of husband and wife. Therefore, one has to see what are the probabilities in a case and legal cruelty has to be found out, not merely as a matter of fact, but as the effect on the mind of the complainant spouse because of the acts or omissions of the other. Cruelty may be physical or corporeal or may be mental. In physical cruelty, there can be tangible and direct evidence, but in the case of mental cruelty there may not at the same time be direct evidence. In cases where there is no direct evidence, Courts are required to probe into the mental process and mental effect of incidents that are brought out in evidence. It is in this view that one has to consider the evidence in matrimonial disputes."
41. In Vinita Saxena v. Pankaj Pandit, (2006) 3 SCC 778, the Court said;
"31. It is settled by a catena of decisions that mental cruelty can cause even more serious injury than the physical harm and create in the mind of the injured appellant F.A. No. 153/2013.16
such apprehension as is contemplated in the section. It is to be determined on whole facts of the case and the matrimonial relations between the spouses. To amount to cruelty, there must be such willful treatment of the party which caused suffering in body or mind either as an actual fact or by way of apprehension in such a manner as to render the continued living together of spouses harmful or injurious having regard to the circumstances of the case.
32. The word "cruelty" has not been defined and it has been used in relation to human conduct or human behaviour. It is the conduct in relation to or in respect of matrimonial duties and obligations. It is a course of conduct and one which is adversely affecting the other. The cruelty may be mental or physical, intentional or unintentional. There may be cases where the conduct complained of itself is bad enough and per se unlawful or illegal. Then the impact or the injurious effect on the other spouse need not be enquired into or considered. In such cases, the cruelty will be established if the conduct itself is proved or admitted".
42. It was further stated:
"35. Each case depends on its own facts and must be judged on these facts. The concept of cruelty has varied from time to time, from place to place and from individual to individual in its application according to social status of the persons involved and their economic conditions and other matters. The question whether the act complained of was a cruel act is to be determined from the whole facts and the matrimonial relations between the parties. In this connection, the culture, temperament and status in life and many other things are the factors which have to be considered.
36. The legal concept of cruelty which is not defined by the statute is generally F.A. No. 153/2013.17
described as conduct of such character as to have caused danger to life, limb or health (bodily and mental) or to give rise to reasonable apprehension of such danger. The general rule in all questions of cruelty is that the whole matrimonial relations must be considered, that rule is of a special value when the cruelty consists not of violent act but of injurious reproaches, complaints, accusations or taunts. It may be mental such as indifference and frigidity towards the wife, denial of a company to her, hatred and abhorrence for wife, or physical, like acts of violence and abstinence from sexual intercourse without reasonable cause. It must be proved that one partner in the marriage however mindless of the consequences has behaved in a way which the other spouse could not in the circumstances be called upon to endure, and that misconduct has caused injury to health or a reasonable apprehension of such injury. There are two sides to be considered in case of apprehension of such injury. There are two sides to be considered in case of cruelty. From the appellants, ought this appellant to be called on to endure the conduct? From the respondent's side, was this conduct excusable? The Court has then to decide whether the sum total of the reprehensible conduct was cruel. That depends on whether the cumulative conduct was sufficiently serious to say that from a reasonable person's point of view after a consideration of any excuse which the respondent might have in the circumstances, the conduct is such that the petitioner ought not be called upon to endure."
12. The Apex Court has specifically held that a long period of continuous separation and no efforts by the party to take unilateral decision of refusal to have intercourse for considerable time without there being any physical F.A. No. 153/2013.
18incapacity or valid reason may amount to mental cruelty. The marriage becomes a fiction by refusing to sever the law. In the present case since 2011, the respondent has not contacted the appellant even though whereabouts of the respondent are not known. She has not made any communication to this Court about her residence. She has also not informed the court that still she is willing to live with the appellant.
13. Looking to the aforesaid conduct of the respondent, in our opinion, the respondent has been practicing cruelty with the appellant. It is well settled principle of law that court can looked into past conduct of the party before passing judgment and decree of divorce.
14. Looking to the evidence and facts of the case, in our opinion, it would be just and proper to award a decree of divorce in favour of the appellant. Consequently, the appeal filed by the appellant is hereby allowed. The impugned judgment and decree passed by the trial court is hereby set-aside. A decree of divorce is hereby granted in favour of the appellant. It is further declared that the marriage solemnized between the appellant and respondent is nullified. Parties shall bear their own costs.
(S.K. GANGELE) (ASHOK KUMAR JOSHI)
JUDGE JUDGE
MISHRA