Bombay HC: Filing False case under S. 498A to 'Correct' Husband Behavior is Cruelty
- Case Name: Vaibhavi Rajendra Chalke vs. Rajendra Ganpat Chalke
- Judge(s): Justice G.S. Kulkarni, Justice Advait M. Sethna
- Advocate(s): Mr. Omkar Nagvekar, Mr. Dushyant S. Pagare
The Bombay High Court ruled that filing a false criminal complaint under Section 498A IPC to "correct" a spouse's behavior constitutes cruelty under Section 13(1)(i-a) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.
The Court held that such actions disrupt marital harmony, erode trust, and show a loss of rationality, making it impossible to maintain the marriage.
In this case, the wife's complaint was dismissed by trial and appellate courts, and her continued pursuit of the case demonstrated no interest in reconciliation.
Upholding the family court's 2018 divorce decree, the High Court found the wife's actions a misuse of legal proceedings amounting to cruelty.
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