Madras HC finalizes retired Army officer divorce citing mental cruelty
The Madras High Court has finalized the divorce of a retired Army officer after nearly five decades of marriage, saying the relationship had broken down beyond repair.
The court pointed to repeated accusations by the wife, her removal of the Thali (mangalsutra), and since 1996 of living apart as clear signs of "mental cruelty" under the law.
Wife admitted removing thali in court
The wife admitted in court to taking off her Thali (a big deal in Hindu marriages) and sending complaints about her husband's alleged affairs to his Army bosses, which hurt his reputation.
The couple hadn't lived together since 1996 and made no moves toward patching things up.
As the judge put it, "A marriage which has existed only on paper for decades and is accompanied by bitterness and litigation can itself become a source of cruelty."