Supreme Court Ends Decade-Long Marital Dispute, Calls It a “Marital Mahabharata”

New Delhi: Bringing an end to nearly a decade-long legal battle between a separated couple, the described the prolonged dispute as a “marital Mahabharata” and formally dissolved their marriage, drawing a decisive close to the contentious proceedings.

A bench comprising and observed that the marriage had “irretrievably broken down” and was “virtually dead.” Invoking its extraordinary powers under , the Court annulled the marriage to ensure complete justice between the parties.

The bench also strongly criticised the husband, a legal professional, for misusing his legal expertise to pursue what it termed a “vindictive and harassing” campaign against his wife, her family members, and even her legal counsel. The Court noted that more than 80 cases had been filed by the husband across multiple judicial forums, many of which appeared to be driven by retaliation and an intent to prolong and complicate the proceedings.

In its order, the Court highlighted that the couple had been entangled in an acrimonious and protracted legal conflict for years, marked by excessive litigation. It further observed that the husband’s conduct reflected a hostile, combative, and retaliatory approach, contributing significantly to the breakdown of the marital relationship.

The bench remarked that it was evident why the wife found it extremely difficult to continue the marriage, adding that the case was a fit instance for exercising powers under Article 142—not only to dissolve the marriage but also to quash all pending civil and criminal proceedings, including FIRs, involving both parties and their associates.

As part of its final directions, the Court ordered the husband to pay ₹5 crore as maintenance to the wife and their children. The amount is to be paid within one year, either as a lump sum or in four instalments. Additionally, the Court granted full custody of the couple’s two sons to the mother, while preserving the father’s visitation rights.

With this ruling, all pending cases related to the dispute have been quashed with immediate effect, marking the end of an intense and prolonged legal battle that, in the Court’s own words, had crossed all reasonable limits.