Judgment

B. P. JEEVAN REDDY J. - This is an unusual case calling for an unusual solution. The husband sued for divorce on the ground that the wife is guilty of adulterous course of life. The wife not only denied the allegation -she attributed the allegation to lack of mental equilibrium of the husband. The husband then amended his petition; he alleged a new ground for divorce viz., mental cruelty. According to him, the allegations made in the written statement per se constitute cruelty which entitled him straightway to a divorce without going into the original allegation of adultery. He is also relying upon certain questions put to him in cross-examination by the counsel for the respondent and the said counsels explanatory statement made in that connection. We may elaborate.

2. The petitioner-applicant, Shri V. Bhagat is an Advocate practising in this Court and Delhi High Court. He is now aged about 55 years. The respondent-wife is working at present as the Vice-President of I.T.D.C.. a Public Sector Corporation. She is aged about 50 years. They were married in the year 1966. They have two grown-up children now - a son and a daughter. The son is a doctor while the daughter holds a de