Matrimonial cases must not be closed routinely, says HC

THE Delhi High Court has refused to quash a criminal case against a man accused of torturing his estranged wife, stressing that matrimonial offences should not be dismissed routinely, especially when the victim opposes it.

Justice Chandra Dhari Singh observed that while the couple had initially agreed to a mutual divorce and settlement, the woman later opposed the closure of the case, alleging that her husband took back the settlement amount and continued to subject her to cruelty.

The court called the situation a "textbook example" of how affluent individuals attempt to exploit the law by coercing victims into settlements, despite the criminal nature of the offence.