TV
A wife repeatedly threatening to commit suicide and violence is not merely misconduct but an insidious form of emotional blackmail and psychological oppression of the husband, observed Orissa High Court.
The Top Court made the observation while upholding a family court’s order of dissolution of marriage in a divorce case.
Background of the Case:
According to sources, a man who got married in 2003, sought divorce on the grounds of cruelty in 2009. He told the court that his wife’s behaviour was making it impossible for him to continue with the marriage.
His grievances included constant quarrels, financial control, repeated threats of suicide and forced eviction of his elderly parents from his wife. Hearing the case, the family court in Cuttack granted dissolution of marriage subject to the payment of Rs 63 lakh as permanent alimony by the husband.
However, the woman later challenged the family court’s order in the Orissa HC, seeking restitution of her conjugal life.
The Court’s Observation:
“Repeated threats to commit suicide, or worse, to harm the spouse and their family members, transcend mere emotional outbursts, they represent a gross misuse of emotional vulnerability and blatant form of psychological warfare,” a two judge bench of Justices BP Routray and Chittaranjan Dash stated.
“The effect of such behaviour is not just confined to the four walls of the matrimonial home but leaves a lasting scar on the mental health and emotional stability of the aggrieved spouses,” the bench stated.
