**Bombay High Court Upholds Divorce Decree Amidst Reconciliation Attempts**
The Bombay High Court has affirmed a divorce decree issued by the Pune Family Court, highlighting the wife’s lack of genuine effort to restore their marital relationship despite the husband’s attempts at reconciliation. The couple, who wed on December 12, 2013, separated just a year later in December 2014, with matrimonial proceedings commencing in 2015.
The wife appealed to the High Court, contesting the Family Court’s 2019 ruling that dismissed her petition for restitution of conjugal rights while granting the husband’s counterclaim for divorce. Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Dr. Neela Gokhale noted that multiple mediation attempts had been unsuccessful. The court acknowledged the husband’s unchallenged testimony that he had rented a separate apartment and invited his wife to live there, but she failed to respond.
The wife alleged harassment by her in-laws, being compelled to perform household chores, and pressure to agree to a mutual divorce. She also claimed that her jewelry was taken and that her consent to the divorce was coerced. However, the court identified inconsistencies in her statements, including her admission that the household employed several servants.
Conversely, the husband sought divorce on the grounds of cruelty and desertion, alleging that the wife left without notice, mistreated his specially-abled sister, refused physical intimacy, and made unfounded accusations of infidelity. The High Court determined that the wife’s behavior constituted cruelty, citing her humiliating actions in public and her indifference towards the husband’s family. The court stated, “The husband’s unrefuted evidence clearly shows he suffered mental cruelty.”
Ultimately, the bench concluded that the marriage had irretrievably broken down and dismissed the wife’s claim of desertion, noting that the husband had made efforts to live separately and had offered her a chance to mend their relationship. The court also rejected her request for monthly maintenance of Rs 1,00,000, stating that no such application had been filed before the Family Court.
This judgment reinforces the Family Court’s findings and underscores the wife’s lack of sincere interest in reconciliation.
**FAQ**
**Q: What was the main reason for the divorce upheld by the Bombay High Court?**
A: The divorce was upheld primarily due to the wife’s lack of genuine efforts to reconcile, despite the husband’s attempts to restore their relationship.
