Rajasthan High Court Rules RTI Requests for Wife's Personal Information as Mental Cruelty
Significant Ruling by Rajasthan High Court
In a landmark decision, the Rajasthan High Court has classified repeated RTI applications filed by a husband to obtain his wife's medical and salary details as 'mental cruelty'. The division bench upheld the family court's ruling that granted divorce in favor of the wife, dismissing the husband's appeal against this decision.
Court's Findings on Mental and Physical Cruelty
The bench, comprising Justices Indrajit Singh and Sangeeta Sharma, identified not only the misuse of RTI but also the husband's unfounded accusations regarding his wife's relationships with colleagues, his retention of her ATM card to withdraw her entire salary, and his failure to provide proper care and nutrition during her pregnancy as acts of severe mental and physical cruelty.
Background of the Case
The wife, employed as an assistant engineer at Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (JVVNL), filed for divorce citing harassment. She reported ongoing mental and physical abuse since their marriage, including inadequate care during her pregnancy, false allegations about her relationships, physical violence, and the husband's attempts to undermine her professional reputation through RTI requests.
RTI Misuse for Malicious Intent
The High Court clarified that the husband's persistent RTI applications aimed at gathering personal information about his wife were intended to tarnish her reputation at work, which constitutes clear 'mental cruelty'.
Conclusion of the Court
The court also noted that neglecting the wife's care during pregnancy and failing to provide adequate food is a serious inhumane act. The bench emphasized that the couple has been living separately since 2018, indicating that their marital bond is irreparably broken, and forcing them to remain in this relationship would only lead to further cruelty. After thorough examination, the High Court concluded that the family court's decision was just and based on substantial evidence.