No impact on public peace: Chhattisgarh High Court drops matrimonial torture case against husband after settlement
Chhattisgarh High Court quashes FIR in matrimonial dispute after settlement, holding case purely personal with no societal impact and minimal chance of conviction.
Chhattisgarh High Court news: Despite allegations of “unnatural intercourse”, “abortion of pregnancy”, and “mental and physical torture, the Chhattisgarh High Court has quashed an FIR against the husband based on a compromise between the parties, holding that the dispute remained purely personal in nature with no impact on public peace or societal interest.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinhaand Justice Ravindra Kumar Agarwalwas hearing a man’s plea seeking an FIR to be quashed against him in a matrimonial dispute, as the parties involved have compromised and reached a settlement with divorce and a full and final settlement.
“The dispute is purely personal in nature and does not affect public peace or societal interest, and …. the possibility of conviction is very remote and bleak…. continuation of the proceedings would be an exercise in futility and would amount to abuse of the process of law,” the order noted on March 24.
The parties involved in the matrimonial dispute have now been amicably settled between them, the Chhattisgarh High Court said.
Dragging matter unnecessarily, not justified: Court
There is a minimal chance of the complainant coming forward in support of the prosecution’s case, and the conviction, therefore, appears to be very remote.
It would not be justified to drag these proceedings unnecessarily, knowing fully well the outcome.
The petitioner and his wife were involved in a matrimonial dispute, which has now been amicably settled between them.
The record reflects that the parties have already obtained a decree of divorce by mutual consent through the order dated August 8, 2024, passed by the Family Court, Raipur.
The wife has also executed an affidavit dated March 3, 2026, affirming the settlement and expressing her no objection to the quashing of the FIR.
The counsel for the state has also not disputed the factum of settlement and dissolution of marriage, the Chhattisgarh High Court finds.
Purely private matrimonial dispute
Advocate Prateek Singh Thakurm, representing the petitioner, submitted that the petitioner and the wife had filed an application for divorce by mutual consent before the Family Court, Raipur, on August 8, 2024, which has been accepted.
He submitted that the FIR arises out of a purely private matrimonial dispute between the parties,
The dispute had now been amicably resolved through a settlement, and the wife had agreed to a mutual consent divorce, a full and final financial settlement, and withdrawal of all allegations.
He submitted that the wife had no objection to quashing the FIR against the petitioner.
He contended that at the time of the hearing of the anticipatory bail application, the wife, through her counsel, expressed no objection to the grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner.
Subsequently, continuation of the criminal proceedings would be wholly futile, as the complainant herself is no longer willing to support the case, and no likelihood of conviction remains.
It was submitted that the continuation of proceedings would result in unnecessary harassment and would amount to an abuse of the process of law.
Series of torture
The wife of the petitioner had filed a written complaint with the Mahila Thana, Raipur, against the petitioner and her mother-in-law.
In her complaint, she alleged that after the marriage, they were residing in Mumbai, where she came to know that the petitioner was in the habit of drinking liquor.
He used to quarrel with her on trivial issues, did not provide her with the necessary items of routine domestic use, and she was also pressurised to make a demand for a share in her parents’ property.
In her complaint, there are also allegations of compelling her for unnatural intercourse, abortion of pregnancy and assault upon her by the petitioner.
Allegations of threatening to make their private video viral and questioning her fidelity have been made by the complainant.
It had also been alleged in the complaint that the petitioner also raised a dispute over the expenditure of the delivery of their son, Vaidik, on December 6, 2022.
As per the complainant, there was regular mental and physical torture and harassment given by the petitioner.
She was sent to her parents’ house at Raipur on February 21, 2023, on the pretext of health purposes, but after some days the belongings of her and their son were sent to the address of the brother of the complainant.
On being requested to take her to Mumbai, the petitioner did not come to take her back, and the petitioner is defaming her by putting false allegations about her character.
Based on the said complaint, an FIR was registered under Section 498-A, 34 of the IPC on October 20, 2023, at Police Station Mahila Thana, Raipur.
Somya Panwar works with the Legal Desk at The Indian Express, where she covers the various High Courts across the country and the Supreme Court of India. Her writing is driven by a deep interest in how law influences society, particularly in areas of gender, feminism, and women’s rights.
She is especially drawn to stories that examine questions of equality, autonomy, and social justice through the lens of the courts. Her work aims to make complex legal developments accessible, contextual, and relevant to everyday readers, with a focus on explaining what court decisions mean beyond legal jargon and how they shape public life.
Alongside reporting, she manages the social media presence for Indian Express Legal, where she designs and curates posts using her understanding of digital trends, audience behaviour, and visual communication. Combining legal insight with strategic content design, she works on building engagement and expanding the desk’s digital reach.
Somya holds a B.A. LL.B and a Master’s degree in Journalism. Before moving fully into media, she gained experience in litigation and briefly worked in corporate, giving her reporting a strong foundation. ... Read More
The parties involved in the matrimonial dispute have now been amicably settled between them, the Chhattisgarh High Court said.