New Delhi: The Delhi High Court ruled in favor of celebrity chef Kunal Kapur, granting him a divorce due to what it deemed as cruelty inflicted upon him by his estranged wife. The court found the wife’s behavior towards Kapur lacking in dignity and empathy.
The decision overturned a previous ruling by a family court that denied Kapur’s request for divorce. The high court emphasized that making reckless and unsubstantiated public allegations against a spouse constitutes cruelty, according to established legal principles.
The judges, Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Neena Bansal Krishna, highlighted the demeaning conduct of the wife towards Kapur, stating that such behavior tarnishes the institution of marriage and provides no reason for Kapur to endure further agony in the relationship.
Kunal Kapur and his wife were married in April 2008 and have a son together, born in 2012.
In his plea, Kapur, known for his role as a judge on the television show “Master Chef,” accused his wife of disrespecting his parents and humiliating him. Conversely, the wife argued that Kapur fabricated stories to obtain a divorce and maintained that she always tried to maintain a loving and loyal relationship with him.
The court acknowledged that marital conflicts are common but emphasized that when such conflicts escalate to disrespect and disregard for a spouse, the sanctity of marriage diminishes.
Furthermore, the court dismissed the wife’s accusations as attempts to tarnish Kapur’s reputation, highlighting his achievements as a celebrity chef within two years of marriage as evidence of his hard work and determination. The judges concluded that the unsubstantiated claims made by the wife amounted to cruelty and had a damaging effect on Kapur’s reputation.
