Court Finds Wife's Persistent Media Allegations as Cruelty Despite Husband's Intimate Relationship with Another Woman; Marriage Dissolved After 27 Years
In a landmark judgment dated September 3, 2026, the Karnataka High Court (Division Bench comprising Justices D.K. Singh and H. Shanthi Bhushan) dissolved the 27-year-old marriage of popular Kannada film actor B R Vijay Kumar, popularly known as Duniya Vijay, and his wife Nagarathna on the ground of cruelty under Section 13(1)(i-a) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The Court awarded a substantial permanent alimony of Rs. 2 crores to the respondent-wife as a one-time settlement, considering the financial capabilities of the petitioner-husband and the welfare of their three adult children.
The divorce proceedings arose out of the appellant-husband's petition filed in 2018 alleging cruelty and desertion by the respondent-wife. The matrimonial discord spanned nearly a decade, marked by bitter litigation, media trials, and allegations and counter-allegations between the parties. The couple married in August 1999 and have two daughters and a son, all of whom are now major.
Key facts revealed during the trial include the husband's intimate relationship with a costume designer, Keerthi Gowda, whom he publicly referred to as his wife in media interviews during the pendency of the marriage. Photographs and videos showed affectionate gestures between the husband and Keerthi Gowda. Despite this, the Court held that the petitioner failed to prove desertion under Section 13(1)(i-b) because his conduct demonstrated a lack of willingness to resume cohabitation with the respondent-wife.
However, the Court found that the respondent-wife's persistent and baseless allegations against the petitioner in media interviews-claiming he had multiple wives and involving the media in private disputes-amounted to mental cruelty under Section 13(1)(i-a). The Court emphasized that such public disparagement caused mental agony, tarnished the petitioner's public image, and affected his professional standing in the film industry.
Further, the Court noted evidence that the respondent-wife created an intolerable environment for the petitioner's elderly parents, including abusive language and physical assault, which forced them to live separately and even influenced them to execute Wills excluding the respondent from their funerals. This conduct was held to constitute cruelty towards the petitioner.
The Court also observed the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, supported by the parties' own Mutual Consent Agreement dated May 2, 2016, which acknowledged their unhappy marital life and the respondent's consent to the petitioner's remarriage.
Despite the petitioner's claim of cruelty and desertion, the Court held that the petitioner's own conduct-his extramarital relationship and public acknowledgment of another woman as "wife"-negated his claim of desertion by the respondent. The Court underscored that a spouse cannot claim desertion if they themselves have strayed from marital obligations.
After considering the petitioner's financial status as a successful actor and the need to ensure the social dignity and financial security of the respondent-wife and their children, the Court awarded a permanent alimony of Rs. 2 crores to be paid within three months, with interest payable on delayed payment.
This case highlights the complex interplay of personal conduct, media involvement, and matrimonial law principles in high-profile divorce proceedings. The Court's nuanced approach balanced the rights and obligations of both spouses and underscored that cruelty encompasses mental suffering caused by unwarranted public defamation as well as intolerable domestic conduct.
Bottom Line:
Grant of Divorce on the ground of cruelty, interpretation of mutual consent agreements in matrimonial disputes, and award of permanent alimony considering the financial stability of the spouse and children.
Statutory provision(s):
Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 Sections 13(1)(i-a), 13(1)(i-b), 23(1), 25
B R Vijay Kumar v. Nagarathna, (Karnataka)(DB) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2974612
