DELHI | 23RD JULY 2025 – In an extraordinary and rare legal directive, the Supreme Court of India on Tuesday ordered an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and her parents to issue a public apology for filing multiple false cases against her former husband and his family, which led to their unjust incarceration and emotional trauma.
HUSBAND AND FATHER-IN-LAW SPENT OVER 100 DAYS IN JAIL
The woman had filed multiple legal cases resulting in the wrongful imprisonment of:
Her husband for 109 days
Her father-in-law for 103 days
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih noted that the husband and his family suffered significant physical and mental trauma as a result of these false allegations.
SUPREME COURT DIRECTS UNCONDITIONAL PUBLIC APOLOGY
The Court issued a directive for an unconditional apology to be made public by the woman and her parents:
“What they have suffered cannot be resituated or compensated in any manner. xxx and her parents shall tender an unconditional apology to the husband and his Family members which shall be published in the national edition of the renowned one English and one Hindi newspaper. Such apology shall also be published and circulated on all social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and other similar platforms,”
The apology must be issued within three days of the Court’s order.
CLARIFICATION: APOLOGY NOT AN ADMISSION OF LIABILITY
The Court was careful to clarify that the apology does not imply legal culpability:
“The expression of apology shall not be construed as an admission of liability and shall have no bearing on the legal rights, obligations or consequences arising under law,”
TIMELINE OF THE MARRIAGE AND LEGAL DISPUTE
The couple got married in 2015 and have a daughter.
They separated in 2018 due to ongoing matrimonial and family disputes.
Both parties filed multiple criminal and civil cases against each other and their respective families.
CUSTODY, PROPERTY, AND ALIMONY SETTLEMENTS
The Supreme Court also settled related family matters:
Custody of the daughter was granted to the mother.
Supervised visitation rights were given to the father and his family.
The wife waived her right to:
Alimony or maintenance
Any share or claim in property owned by the husband or his family
COURT QUASHES ALL LEGAL PROCEEDINGS BETWEEN PARTIES
The Court, seeking to bring closure to the protracted dispute, quashed all civil and criminal litigations filed by either party and imposed final settlement terms.
MARRIAGE DISSOLVED UNDER ARTICLE 142 OF THE CONSTITUTION
The Supreme Court dissolved the marriage by invoking its extraordinary constitutional powers under Article 142:
“In terms of the above observations, directions and conditions/settlement, we deem it appropriate to invoke our power under Article 142 of the Constitution of India and order for dissolution of marriage between…The decree of divorce shall be drawn up accordingly,”
LEGAL REPRESENTATION
The wife, an IPS officer, was represented by Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra before the Supreme Court.
