It might be one among the many divorce cases in the city. But what made it unusual were the grounds on which the divorce was granted — wife-swapping.
Granting divorce to Bhavya (29) (name changed) recently, a family court judge observed: “Practices like wife-swapping spoil Indian society, and people should not forget their culture and tradition by being attracted towards foreign lifestyles.”
In her petition seeking divorce, Bhavya of Chikmagalur said she was married to Dhanush (name changed), a software engineer residing at Jayanagar, three years ago. Both of them were attracted towards lavish western lifestyles. They used to go to late night parties and discos, and Dhanush used to introduce her to his friends, she said.
Bhavya further said sometimes they used to drink together, and Dhanush encouraged his friends to get too close to her. Dhanush also used to get intimate with wives of his friends. Recently, Dhanush and his friends arranged a party at a resort near Nelamangala, where they had brought their wives. At that party, they all drank and Bhavya was completely under the influence of alcohol. They spent the night there.
When Bhavya turned sober the next morning, she found one of Dhanush’s friends sleeping on her bed.
When she informed her husband of that, Dhanush seemed to be knowing about the “arranged incident”, and asked her not to discuss it with any one, Bhavya said.
After that incident, Bhavya refused to go to parties with him. But soon, Dhanush started compelling her to accompany him to parties. When she protested and informed her in-laws about it, he started torturing her.
Unable to bear it any more, she went to her parents’ house and stayed there for one-and-a-half years, but Dhanush continued to torture her, she said in her complaint.
Finally, she filed a petition seeking divorce from him.