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2026 INSC 1191 REPORTABLE IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 5187 OF 2026 (ARISING OUT OF S.L.P. (CRIMINAL) NO.7708/2019)

N. SRIDHAR REDDY …APPELLANT(S)

VERSUS THE STATE OF A.P.

THROUGH SECRETARY AND OTHERS …RESPONDENT(S)

WITH CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 5188 OF 2026 (ARISING OUT OF S.L.P. (CRIMINAL) NO.7793 OF 2019)

AND CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 5189 OF 2026 (ARISING OUT OF S.L.P. (CRIMINAL) NO.7812 OF 2019)

J U D G M E N T

PRASHANT KUMAR MISHRA, J.

1. The case before us brings into sharp focus the limits of matrimonial forum shopping, wherein the husband after failing to get his first marriage dissolved under the Indian jurisdiction, approaches the foreign court, procures a divorce decree under the foreign jurisdiction and thereafter solemnizes a second marriage. Can the sanctity of matrimonial status be allowed to yield to such Signature Not Verified Digitally signed by N D I a S te H : A 2 0 K 2 H f6 U .o1 L 1 B .r0 E 3 Y um non conveniens?

Reason:

2. Leave granted.

3. The lead Criminal Appeal1 is preferred by Dr. N. Sridhar Reddy2, who is the husband of N. Geetha Prasanthi, respondent No.2 (first wife). As far as the other two Criminal Appeals³ are concerned, they are preferred by Geetha Inturi, Hereinafter referred to as ‘accused No.4/second wife’, the second wife of Dr. N. Sridhar Reddy and Nallapareddy Krishna Reddy, Hereinafter referred to as ‘accused No.2’ and Nallapareddy Vasantha Kumari, Hereinafter referred to as ‘accused No.3’, the parents of Dr. N. Sridhar Reddy, respectively. These Appeals impugn the common order dated 08.07.2019 passed by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh whereby the High Court has dismissed the petitions filed by the present appellants under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, For short, ‘Cr.PC’ seeking quashing of C.C. No. 571/2018 pending on the file of I Additional Junior Civil Judge, Sattenapalli, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh. A. FACTUAL MATRIX

4. The facts giving rise to the present Appeals are as follows:

i. Accused no.1 married respondent No.2 (N. Geetha Prasanthi) on

18.04.2003 at Sattenapalli, Andhra Pradesh, according to Hindu rites and customs.

ii. After the marriage, they resided in Hyderabad where accused No.1/husband was doing post-graduation from Osmania Medical College.

1 Arising out of S.L.P. (Crl.) No. 7708/2019

2 Hereinafter referred to as ‘accused No.1/husband’

3 Arising out of S.L.P. (Crl.) Nos. 7793/2019 and 7812/2019

iii. On 04.02.2005, accused No.1/husband went to United Kingdom to pursue his career as a doctor. On 07.05.2006, respondent No.2/first wife, joined accused No.1/husband in the United Kingdom.

iv. In August 2007, respondent No.2/first wife returned to her parental home at Sattenapalli, Andhra Pradesh, for delivery and their son was born on 04.11.2007. It is case of accused No.1/husband that despite repeated requests, respondent no.2/first wife did not return to United Kingdom.

v. As the matrimonial relationship of the parties deteriorated, accused No.1/husband instituted a divorce and custody proceedings before the competent Court at Narasaraopet, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, which were dismissed. Against the dismissal of the divorce proceedings, accused No.1/husband preferred an appeal before the High Court, but subsequently, he withdrew the same.

Thus, the original Hindu marriage continue to subsist.

vi. Accused No.1/husband was granted citizenship of the United Kingdom (by naturalization) after 8 years of continuous residence in the United Kingdom on 01.02.2013.

vii. Thereafter, on 16.08.2013, accused No.1/husband instituted divorce proceedings against respondent No.2/first wife before the Cambridge County Court in England. Respondent No.2/first wife filed objections concerning jurisdiction and competence of the foreign court in granting divorce.

viii. On 27.11.2013, the Cambridge County Court passed an order in favour of accused No.1/husband and ordered that a decree nisi be issue