A peculiar case emerged from Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, where a personal dispute spiraled into a costly error for Indian Railways. A station master was on duty, managing calls between the office line and his wife.
The wife's call quickly escalated into a quarrel, while the office line was placed on hold. With his mobile in one hand and the office line in the other, the situation was chaotic. During this exchange, his wife demanded he come home to continue the discussion, to which he simply replied, “OK.”
Unfortunately, the unintended consequence of his “OK” was that the other station master on the other end mistook it as clearance to proceed with a train dispatch. As a result, a train was mistakenly sent down a restricted route, resulting in a staggering revenue loss for Indian Railways, reportedly exceeding 3 crore rupees. Due to the incident, the station master was immediately suspended.
Husband tried to salvage the marriage
The case took a serious turn in the Chhattisgarh High Court, as the station master filed for divorce, citing mental harassment from his wife as a factor in the disastrous error. In court, the husband detailed a troubled marriage dating back to their wedding in 2011. According to his testimony, the marriage had been fraught with issues from the beginning.
The husband recounted that shortly after their wedding, during the reception itself, his wife expressed dissatisfaction. That evening, she reportedly confided in him about an affair with a college librarian, with whom she admitted to a past physical relationship she could not forget.
Despite his wife's revelation, the husband tried to salvage the marriage at the urging of his father-in-law. The wife's father reassured him that his daughter would put her past behind her. However, marital discord continued, with the wife allegedly talking to her lover openly in front of her husband, which only worsened their relationship.
Wife filed dowry harassment case
As the station master sought legal recourse, his wife countered by filing a dowry harassment case against him and his family. The Bhilai police subsequently registered complaints against the husband and his family members under several sections of the Indian Penal Code. With the complexity of the case growing, the husband requested a transfer to Durg, a move granted by the Supreme Court. However, when the Durg court dismissed his petition, he escalated the matter to the High Court in Bilaspur.
High Court Acknowledges Marital Cruelty
The Chhattisgarh High Court, under a division bench led by Justice Rajni Dubey and Justice Sanjay Agarwal, heard the case and took the matter seriously. During proceedings, the court acknowledged the husband’s claims, recognizing the difficulties he faced and identifying his wife’s actions as mental cruelty. Given the circumstances and the professional repercussions he faced due to the disruption during his duty, the High Court granted the husband's divorce petition.
This case highlights the complexities that can arise when personal issues interfere with professional duties, with one seemingly small word—“OK”—having far-reaching consequences. It also underscores the legal system's increasing attention to mental harassment within marriages, especially where professional responsibilities are disrupted by personal distress. The Chhattisgarh High Court's ruling in favor of the husband marks a significant stance on the boundaries between personal disputes and professional responsibilities.
(PRAKASH KUMAR PANDEY)
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