The Delhi High Court granted divorce to renowned celebrity chef Kunal Kapur on Tuesday, citing the cruelty inflicted upon him by his estranged wife. The court's decision came after Kapur's appeal challenging a family court's ruling that denied him divorce. Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Neena Bansal Krishna, presiding over the case, remarked that the conduct of Kapur's wife towards him lacked dignity and empathy, bringing disgrace to the institution of marriage.
The estranged couple had got married in April 2008 and welcomed a son in 2012. They have been living separately since 2015. Kapur, widely recognized for his role as a judge on the television show "Master Chef," accused his wife of consistently disrespecting his parents and subjecting him to humiliation.
On the other hand, the wife refuted these claims, alleging that Kapur fabricated stories to obtain a divorce and kept her in the dark about his intentions.
"When such is the nature of one spouse towards the other, it brings disgrace to the very essence of marriage and there exists no possible reason as to why he should be compelled to live while enduring the agony of living together," the bench noted.
The court emphasized that while marital discord is not uncommon, it crosses a critical threshold when it transforms into disrespect and disregard for one's spouse.
The bench noted that within just two years of marriage, Kunal Kapur had achieved celebrity status as a chef and pointed out that the unsubstantiated allegations made by the wife tarnished Kapur's reputation and constituted cruelty under the law.
The judgment shed light on various instances of alleged misconduct, including the wife's refusal to allow Kapur access to their son and her demand for financial support despite hindering his parental rights.
The court noted that Kapur had been paying for their child’s education and providing monetary support for the household but despite repeated requests, as seen in WhatsApp messages, his son was not allowed to meet him on one pretext or another.
Such actions, the court asserted, inflicted emotional distress on Kapur and undermined the sanctity of marriage. Moreover, the court condemned the use of derogatory language and physical harm, stating that they reflect a lack of control and constitute forms of cruelty.
The court said the wife's conduct comes into the ambit of Section 13 (1) (ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, and the Family Court erred in rejecting the divorce petition by Kapur.
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