Madras HC quashes woman's criminal complaint against ex-spouse

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court quashed the criminal case registered against a person lodged by his ex-wife after obtaining the divorce on the charge that he committed impersonation by deceiving her about his profession and married her.

Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan held that there was no cruelty, harassment or cheating committed by the divorced husband against the married woman and the allegations levelled against are not attracted to the criminal offences, wrote the judge and quashed the criminal complaint lodged against the petitioner.

N Arivazhagan from Peelamedu, Coimbatore, moved a petition along with his family members seeking to quash the criminal complaint lodged by his former spouse against him and his family members on the grounds of cheating and harassment.

Arivazhagan married S Poorni in June 2016, but the marriage soured in a year, leading to her filing for separation at a family court. Through a decree granted by the lower court, they got separated in 2023.

However, Poorni filed a complaint against him and her in-laws, alleging they cheated her by claiming Arivazhagan was an ophthalmologist at an eminent private hospital in Madurai to get her married to him.

Only upon filing the divorce case, she discovered he was not a doctor and cheated to marry her, she alleged.

Hence, she lodged a complaint under IPC sections 494A (committing harassment and cruelty on a married woman by her husband or family members) and 420 (cheating and dishonesty).

Aggrieved by the complaint, Arivazhagan and his family moved the petition seeking to quash the criminal case.