Suman Kapur vs Sudhir Kapur on 7 November, 2008 – Case Summary

In the case of Suman Kapur vs Sudhir Kapur on 7 November, 2008:

Facts:

1. The case pertains to a matrimonial dispute between Suman Kapur (appellant-wife) and Sudhir Kapur (respondent-husband).
2. The couple got married as per Hindu rites and rituals in Delhi on March 04, 1984. They were friends since childhood and knew each other since 1966.
3. The appellant, Suman Kapur, had an impressive academic record and was awarded the prestigious Lalor Foundation Fellowship of the USA.
4. The appellant conceived thrice during their marriage. The first two pregnancies, in 1984 and 1985, were terminated due to health concerns, while the third in 1989 resulted in a natural miscarriage.
5. The respondent-husband alleged that the appellant-wife terminated her pregnancies without his knowledge or consent and accused her of prioritizing her career over their marriage.

Issues:

1. Whether the appellant-wife’s actions and behavior amounted to mental cruelty towards the respondent-husband.
2. Whether the respondent-husband was entitled to a decree of divorce on the grounds of cruelty and desertion.

Court’s Observations and Ruling:

1. The trial Court held that the husband was not entitled to a decree of divorce on the ground of desertion but found that there was mental cruelty on the part of the wife. The court highlighted the wife’s termination of pregnancies without the husband’s knowledge and her prioritization of her career over marital obligations.
2. The High Court of Delhi confirmed the trial Court’s decision, emphasizing the mental cruelty aspect based on the letters and diary entries of the wife, which indicated her focus on her career over marital obligations.
3. The Supreme Court, after examining the evidence and previous rulings on mental cruelty, concluded that the conduct of the appellant-wife did amount to mental cruelty. The Court emphasized that cruelty in matrimonial matters can be both physical and mental, and mental cruelty is a state of mind and feeling caused by one spouse’s behavior towards the other.
4. The Court upheld the decree of divorce granted by the lower courts based on the ground of mental cruelty.