Refusal to speak to wife, consummate marriage not cruelty: SC
What's the story
The SC has quashed a case under Section 498A against a man, ruling refusal to talk to the wife doesn't amount to cruelty. The woman had taken her husband to court after no one at her in-laws talked to her for the first 20 days after marriage. She complained the husband had refused to consummate the marriage and had left for Australia.
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'Cruelty' by husband forced her to return home, wife alleged
The woman alleged her family had spent Rs. 15L on the wedding and Rs. 20L on ornaments. But after her husband left home, no one in her matrimonial home had talked to her. She was eventually forced to go back to her parents' place. The Hyderabad HC had earlier refused to quash her case against the husband.
Information
Refusal to cohabit could be grounds for divorce, SC ruled
The SC observed there was no offence under Section 498A (cruelty at matrimonial home to drive the woman to suicide, cause injury or harassment for dowry) or Section 406 (breach of trust). It had earlier ruled that refusal to cohabit could be grounds for divorce.