The legal point established is that to prove cruelty for divorce under the Hindu Marriage Act, the conduct of the spouse must go beyond normal marital disputes and cause significant mental anguish or distress.

DEEPA SHARMA, J.

1. This appeal has been preferred by the appellant husband against the order of the Family Court, Rohini, Delhi, dated 12.08.2010 whereby his petition for dissolution of marriage under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act (hereafter “the Act”) was dismissed.

2. Briefly, the facts are that the parties got married according to Hindu rites and customs at JJ Colony, Delhi on 06.09.2003 and through the wedlock one male child was born on 01.07.2004.

3. The petition for divorce was filed by the appellant on the ground of cruelty, alleging that the respondent wife was pressurizing him to setup a separate home as she did not want to live in a joint family. The appellant worked as a labourer and it is his contention that owing to limited financial means it was not possible for him to set up a separate independent household. It is further contended that despite several attempts to explain the difficulty of setting up a separate household, the respondent refused to cooperate and kept pressurizing the appellant. It is argued that the respondent became overbearing and abusive and also started misbehaving, not only with the appellant but also with his family members. The respondent would get aggressive and on several occasions had even beaten him. She also refused to do the household chores and threatened to implicate him and his family members in false criminal cases. Thereafter, on 21.11.2003, her parents visited her and instead of advising her to mend her ways, supported her. The respondent continued her atrocities against the appellant and his family and on 21.01.2004, left the matrimonial home without giving any reasons. It is argued by the appellant that he and his family members made several efforts for reconciliation and even went to the respondent’s parental home on 10.02.2004 and 04.03.2004 to bring her back so that she could rejoin the company of the appellant. However, all such attempts failed. In fact, it is alleged, that instead of sorting the differences, the respondent and her family threatened to implicate the appellant as well as his family members in dowry demand cases. The appellant received a notice from CAW Cell (Crime Against Women Cell) on 30.03.2005. A false complaint with Mahila Ayog (Delhi Commission of Women) was also filed by the wife. The appellant submits that he returned all the dowry articles to the respondent on 25.04.2005. It is submitted that he did not condone the wife’s cruelty in any manner and that their marriage reached a point of no return with there being no likelihood of a patch up or sorting of differences. Under such circumstances there could be no re-union of the parties.

4. The respondent, who appeared in person in the proceedings, had filed her written statement which controverted all the appellant’s contentions and had urged that it was he who had treated her with cruelty. She contends that the appellant had raised a demand of Rs. 1 lakh as well as a motor cycle and when she could not make good of these demands, she was turned out of the matrimonial home; she made efforts for reconciliation, but to no avail. It is also contended that she was sent back to her parental home when she was in family-way and all the delivery expenses were borne by her parents.

5. In the replication, the appellant had alleged that it was he who had borne the delivery as well as post-delivery expenses and denied any allegation that he had demanded any money or a motor cycle or even that he had treated her with cruelty.

6. The Family Court heard the arguments and framed three issues:-

“a. Whether after the solemnization of marriage, the respondent has treated 'the petitioner with cruelty'? OPP

b. Whether the respondent has deserted the petitioner, for a continuous period of not less than 2 years immediately before presentation of this petition? OPP

c. Whether the petitioner is entitled for a decree of divorce on the ground as prayed for? OPP

7. Parties led their evidence. While the appellant ha