Sharing Wife’s Pre-Marriage Photos with Family is Mental Cruelty: Jharkhand High Court

The Jharkhand High Court granted divorce to a woman, holding that humiliating a wife over pre-marriage photographs amounts to mental cruelty.

The Court found that the husband accessed the wife’s Google Drive, transferred photographs from her past relationship, and shared them with his family members, leading to her humiliation and character assassination. It held that such conduct caused deep mental agony, making cohabitation impossible.

Emphasising that marriage is founded on trust and respect, the Bench observed that once trust is broken, it is irreparable. Though physical assault was not proved, the Court clarified that cruelty can be psychological.

The Court granted divorce under Section 13(1)(i-a) of the Hindu Marriage Act.