Wife’s demand to separate from widowed mother-in-law is cruelty: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court has upheld a divorce order in favor of a husband, ruling that his wife's insistence on living separately from his dependent widowed mother and her baseless allegations against him and his family constituted mental cruelty. Justices Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya and Supratim Bhattacharya noted that while a wife's desire for a separate living situation is not inherently cruel, it must be considered in the context of the husband's dependent mother and the wife's unsupported allegations.

The court also observed that societal attitudes toward marriage and domestic life have evolved, moving away from the outdated notion that a wife is obligated to serve her husband and his family unconditionally. The court emphasized that while the wife's desire for a separate home is significant, it cannot be seen in isolation from the broader marital context, especially given the husband's dependent mother and the wife's lack of corroboration for her claims.