The Delhi High Court has granted celebrity chef Kunal Kapur a divorce on grounds of “cruelty” by his wife. The court also said that the conduct of Kapur’s wife towards him was “devoid of dignity and empathy”. The bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Neena Bansal Krishna on Tuesday granted divorce to the celebrity chef.
The court highlighted that such behavior between spouses tarnishes the fundamental sanctity of marriage. There is no justification for forcing someone to endure the agony of living together under such circumstances. Further the court concluded that such behavior brings disgrace to the essence of marriage, compelling Kapur to endure unnecessary agony.
The celebrity chef claimed that his wife frequently contacted the police and threatened to spread rumors about him on social media as he gained public attention. He also claimed that his wife intruded into the studio during the Masterchef India show in 2016 with their son, who was born out of wedlock in 2012, and created a ruckus. Following the incident, Kapur got a restraining order against her.
However, his wife refuted the allegations, claiming she sacrificed her career for the family and endured taunts from her in-laws for working.
During Tuesday’s hearing, the Delhi High Court bench took her arguments into account but also reiterated that according to established legal principles, making reckless, defamatory, humiliating, and unsubstantiated allegations against a spouse in public constitutes cruelty.
“It is relevant to mention here that within two years of marriage, the appellant has established himself as a Celebrity Chef which is a reflection of his hard work and determination which would not have been possible had he been one who was dependent on his spouse or in-laws for his necessities,” it said.
“Considering the aforesaid facts, it is only prudent to observe that these are mere allegations made by the respondent to disrepute the appellant in the eyes of the Court and such unsubstantiated claims have the effect on one’s reputation and therefore, amounts to cruelty.”