Threat of suicide can be ground for divorce under mental cruelty

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Suicide-threats-amount-to-cruelty-can-be-a-divorce-ground-HC/articleshow/5404502.cms

MUMBAI: Repeated attempts to commit suicide as well the threats to commit suicide could amount to “cruelty”, and it can very well be a ground for seeking divorce, the Bombay High Court has held.

The family court in Pune granted divorce to Varsha and Prakash (both names changed) on the application made by Prakash in 2002, against which Varsha had filed appeal.

Both had been living separately for the last seventeen years.

Prakash’s application for divorce was on the ground that his wife was temperamental, she frequently fought with him, and threatened to commit suicide.

In her statement before the family court, Varsha admitted that she had, in fact, attempted suicide twice. Once she tried to jump from a bridge, on another occasion she tried to drink an insecticide, but was saved both the times.

High Court held that family court was right in granting divorce to Prakash, “because the behaviour of the appellant in persistently threatening and attempting suicide would constitute mental cruelty in law”.

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