New Delhi: The Apex court has ordered a husband to pay Rs 1 crore settlement money to his wife who has applied for divorce citing cruel treatment and dowry harassment by her in-laws.
Taking into account of wife’s statements that she is no longer interested in the marriage and seeks her dowry money back, the bench headed by Justice Kurian Joseph gave the husband a period of 16 months for clearing the amount in four equal installments of Rs 25 lakh each.
“Wife submits that she is only interested in getting back her money. Husband submits that he is also interested in settling the entire disputes…In such circumstances, we fail to understand what are they fighting for,” the bench said, proceeding to give a quietus to the prolonged battle between the couple who got married in 2000.
The estranged couple moved to the USA after getting married where the completed her medical education and started working, but over the past years, the wife alleges that incessant dowry demands by her husband and in-laws forced her father to fulfill their greed.
She alleged her in-laws forcibly made her sign the divorce papers and treated her cruelly.
The couple later filed cases in different courts in Delhi and Faridabad.
The bench noted that since the husband has also submitted that the couple’s relationship was beyond repair and that they could no longer live as husband and wife, Justice said if money was the only thing that made the two slug it out in various courts, let there be a closure.
According to reports, the woman initially demanded Rs 1.25 crore in full and final settlement but in view of her father-in-law’s death, she agreed to accept Rs 1 crore.
The court further said that once the entire amount is paid by the husband, the couple may apply for the divorce by mutual consent before it and no further proceedings remain in the case.
“There will be stay of further proceedings in all the cases between the parties and their family members in all the courts in India. The parties are also restrained from instituting fresh litigation against each other and their family members,” ordered the bench.
The husband has also been restrained from leaving the country without the permission of the court.