The Madhya Pradesh High Court at Jabalpur has dissolved the marriage between Heeralal Meena and his wife Rama @ Rameti, overturning a 2006 family court ruling. The bench, comprising Justice Vishal Dhagat and Justice Anuradha Shukla, delivered its judgment on 26 August 2025, finding that the wife's act of setting herself on fire amounted to mental cruelty against the husband.
Background
Heeralal and Rama married in April 2003 according to Hindu customs. A daughter was born out of the wedlock. However, by 2005, tensions between the couple had escalated. According to the husband, his wife not only ill-treated him but also threatened him on trivial matters.
Read also:- Allahabad High Court Clarifies Jurisdiction in Widow's Property Dispute, Orders Return of Suit
The situation took a grave turn when she allegedly attempted to immolate herself in June 2005, sustaining serious burn injuries.
The wife, however, countered that she had been set on fire by her husband's family members, but admitted she had not lodged any FIR against them, claiming she refrained due to advice from "respected members of society."
In 2006, the family court dismissed the husband's divorce plea, holding that his allegations were unproven. Heeralal then appealed before the High Court.
Read also:- Bombay High Court Enhances Compensation to ₹24 Lakh in Fatal Motorcycle-Bus Collision Case
Court's Observations
The High Court carefully scrutinized the evidence, noting that no neighbors or independent witnesses were produced by the wife to back her claim that her in-laws had set her ablaze.
The bench observed,
"Her explanation for not lodging a criminal case might have carried some value if the relationship had normalized thereafter. But things only worsened."
On the other hand, the husband's version - that the act was self-inflicted - remained consistent throughout. The Court emphasized that such an extreme step naturally causes dread and fear in the other spouse, undermining the foundation of matrimonial life.
Read also:- Gauhati High Court Questions Pre-Deposit Condition in SBI Loan Dispute Appeal Under SARFAESI Act
Another critical point raised by the judges was the trial court’s reliance on mediation proceedings that were supposed to remain confidential.
The High Court found this approach "inappropriate and misplaced," stressing that findings should be based on evidence alone, not on conversations during attempted reconciliation.
Quoting from the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Samar Ghosh v. Jaya Ghosh (2007), the bench reiterated that while normal quarrels don’t justify divorce, acts causing grave fear and psychological trauma do qualify as mental cruelty.
Decision
Concluding that the wife's attempt at self-immolation and subsequent conduct amounted to mental cruelty, the Court allowed the husband's appeal. The marriage, solemnized in 2003, was formally dissolved under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act.
"The dreadful act itself is sufficient to hold that she has committed mental cruelty," the judges remarked while setting aside the earlier dismissal.
With this, a long-drawn litigation that began nearly two decades ago finally came to an end at the appellate stage.
Case Title: Heeralal Meena v. Smt. Rama @ Rameti
Case No.: First Appeal No. 133 of 2007
Judgment Date: 26 August 2025
