( 1 ) THE applicant Samuel Bahadur Singh has been granted a decree nisi against respondent No. 1 Roshni Singh for the dissolution of his marriage with her. He has also been granted a decree for Rs. 500/- as damages against the corespondent Chhuttan. The proceedings have been submitted to this Court under Section 17 of the Indian Divorce Act (hereinafter referred to as the Act) for the confirmation of the decree nisi aforesaid.

( 2 ) THE petitioner was married to the respondent Roshni Singh at the St. Paul's Church at Jabalpur on 14-1-1953. After their marriage, they lived and cohabited at 117, Napier Town, Jabalpur, till about 16-1-1954. On or about 16-11954, the respondent Roshni Singh left the petitioner's house informing him that she was going to her brother's place at Mandla. She never came back to live with him thereafter. Soon after January 1954, the petitioner was transferred to Wardha where he lived for about 2 1/2 years. In the last week of November 1957, the petitioner was transferred back to Jabalpur, when he learned that his wife, the respondent Roshni Singh, was living in adultery with the corespondent Chuttan at Mandla for the last three years and that she ha