NEW DELHI, July 9:
The Supreme Court has directed a husband to pay Rs 50 lakhs as alimony to his wife but ruled that damaging or spoiling the reputation of a spouse can be ground for divorce on account of cruelty.
In this case, the wife had given a notice in a newspaper saying that her husband was a womaniser, habitual drinker and was having other wives also. A bench headed by Justice Deepak Verma allowed the appeal of the husband for divorce.
The Judges noted that “It is clear that the woman has humiliated the husband and caused mental cruelty. Such a publication in a newspaper having good circulation can cause trauma, agony and anguish in the mind of any reasonable man.
The wife has made a deliberate assault on the character of her husband by stating in her application that he is a womaniser and a drunkard.
Apart from rude behavior in the house, she has humiliated him in public life by publishing that he had wives and started selling his properties.”
The couple was married in 1979 and had a strained relationship since then. The couple separated in 1995 and both their sons decided to stay with their father.(UNI)
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