Rajasthan HC Labels Spouse’s RTI Probe and ATM Withdrawal as Mental Cruelty

The Rajasthan High Court has held that a husband’s attempts to gather his wife’s private information through a Right to Information (RTI) application, coupled with allegations of illicit relationships with her coworkers and the forced withdrawal of cash from her ATM card, amount to mental cruelty under Indian law. The bench examined the series of actions, noting that the petitioner used legal and financial mechanisms to intimidate and harass his spouse.

In its judgment, the court clarified that mental cruelty includes repeated acts that cause emotional distress, humiliation, or a sense of insecurity in the marital relationship. By seeking personal data via RTI, making unfounded accusations against the wife’s colleagues, and coercing her to withdraw money, the petitioner inflicted sustained psychological pressure.

The ruling underscores that such conduct can be a ground for divorce and may attract legal consequences. It also sets a precedent for future cases where spouses employ procedural tools to intrude upon each other’s privacy, reinforcing the judiciary’s stance against abusive behavior within marriage.

Legal experts note that the decision aligns with broader efforts to protect individual dignity and privacy, especially in domestic contexts, and may influence how courts assess claims of mental cruelty in family law matters.