DNA testing is the most legitimate and scientifically perfect means, which the

husband could use, to establish his assertion of infidelity: Supreme Court

[Read the Judgment] BY: APOORVA MANDHANI17 Oct 2014 11:37 AM 420
SHARES FacebookTwitterWhatsAppLinkedInMore A Supreme Court bench
comprising of Justice J.S. Khehar and Justice R.K. Agrawal accepted the DNA
application of a husband, seeking to establish infidelity by his wife, giving a
liberty to the wife to comply with or disregard the order passed by the High
Court, requiring the holding of the DNA test. The Court said, “In case, she
accepts the direction issued by the High Court, the DNA test will determine
conclusively the veracity of accusation leveled by the respondent-husband,
against her. In case, she declines to comply with the direction issued by the
High Court, the allegation would be determined by the concerned Court, by
drawing a presumption of the nature contemplated in Section 114 of the
Indian Evidence Act, especially, in terms of illustration (h) thereof.” Also
Read - Calcutta HC Refuses Plea To Direct Government To Frame Policy
Against 'Fake News' [Read Order] The Bench accepted the view taken in the
case of Bhabani Prasad Jena vs. Convenor Secretary, Orissa State
Commission for Women and another, which had observed, “In our view,
when there is apparent conflict between the right to privacy of a person not
to submit himself forcibly to medical examination and duty of the court to
reach the truth, the court must exercise its discretion only after balancing
the interests of the parties and on due consideration whether for a just
decision in the matter, DNA test is eminently needed.” Also Read - Non-
Advocate Power Of Attorney Can Be Permitted To Address The Court In Case
Of Close Relative: Calcutta HC The petitioner and the respondent got married
in Calcutta in 2003. The present controversy emerged from a petition filed
under Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 by the husband, seeking
dissolution of the marriage solemnized between the petitioner-wife and the
respondent-husband. One of the grounds for seeking divorce was the alleged
adulterous life style of the wife. The petitioner stated that, “The respondent
has gone astray. She is leading a fast life and has lived in extra marital
relationship with the said Mr. Deven Shah, a well to do person who too is a
carrier gentlemen and has given birth to a child as a result of her
cohabitation with Shri Deven Shah. It is reported that the respondent has
give birth to a baby very recently. The respondent is presently living at the
address as mentioned in the cause title of the plaint.” The Court noticed that
the wife expressly asserted the factum of cohabitation during the subsistence
of their marriage, and also denied the accusations leveled by the husband of
her extra marital relationship, as absolutely false, concocted, untrue,
frivolous and vexatious. In order to substantiate his claim, in respect of the
infidelity of the wife, and to establish that the son born to her was not his,
the husband moved an application seeking a DNA test of himself and the
male child born to the wife. The Family Court had however dismissed the
prayer for conducting the DNA test. Calcutta High Court however allowed the
petition filed by the husband. Upholding the decision of Calcutta HC, the
Supreme Court observed, “In our view, but for the DNA test, it would be
impossible for the respondent-husband to establish and confirm the
assertions made in the pleadings. We are therefore satisfied, that the
direction issued by the High Court, as has been extracted hereinabove, was
fully justified.” Giving a liberty to the wife to accept or reject the Court’s
order, the Bench observed, “DNA testing is the most legitimate and
scientifically perfect means, which the husband could use, to establish his
assertion of infidelity. This should simultaneously be taken as the most
authentic, rightful and correct means also with the wife, for her to rebut the
assertions made by the respondent-husband, and to establish that she had
not been unfaithful, adulterous or disloyal. If the appellant-wife is right, she
shall be proved to be so.” This course was adopted to preserve the right of
individual privacy to the extent possible.

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means-husband-use-establish-assertion-infidelity-supreme-court/