Madras High Court Reinstates Conviction in Landmark Domestic Cruelty Case After 18-Year Legal Battle

Nov 04, 2025 10:13 pm CST

The Madras High Court's Madurai Bench has reinstated the conviction of an 86-year-old man for mental and economic cruelty toward his wife, overturning a previous acquittal. Justice L Victoria Gowri ruled that Section 498-A encompasses psychological and financial abuse beyond physical violence, concluding an 18-year legal battle and upholding the original six-month imprisonment sentence and monthly maintenance order of Rs 20,000.