Madras HC upholds retired Army officer's divorce after 30 years
India
After almost 30 years apart, the Madras High Court has upheld a retired Army official's divorce, calling the long separation and his wife's actions "mental cruelty" under the Hindu Marriage Act.
Married in 1977 and separated since 1996, the husband's claims were backed by both lower courts and Justice P Vadamalai, who saw no reason to overturn their decision.
Court cited wife's infidelity, thali removal
The court pointed out that the wife had accused her husband of infidelity back in 1989, hurting his reputation at work, and admitted to removing her thali, a key marital symbol in Tamil culture.
Ongoing property fights and legal disputes also played a role.
With no real attempts at making up over decades, the court said their marriage had broken down for good.