Pune: A district judge granted a divorce after interacting via video conferencing with a man lodged in jail, who declined legal aid and chose not to contest his wife’s divorce petition.According to petitioner’s counsel Satish Dhoka, the case is the first of its kind in Pune district courts where a divorce petition was decided after the respondent, lodged in jail, participated in the proceedings through video conferencing.The man informed the court that he did not wish to file a reply and that the divorce could be granted as sought by his wife.Additional district judge, Mahendra R Jadhav, while allowing the petition under Section 27 of the Special Marriage Act, held that the wife had proved she was subjected to mental cruelty and granted a decree of divorce.According to the judgment, the couple solemnised their marriage under the Special Marriage Act in Sept 2014. The wife later approached the court seeking dissolution of the marriage, alleging that her husband subjected her to mental cruelty after quitting his job and starting share market classes.She claimed that he developed a close association with his female assistant despite her objections and was subsequently lodged in jail in connection with an alleged cheating case worth Rs 5 crore to Rs 6 crore involving 40 to 50 investors. She further stated that she was forced to leave the matrimonial home in Feb 2024 and had issued a legal notice to him in Nov 2025, to which he did not respond.Though the matter had already proceeded ex parte against the respondent, the court interacted with him through video conferencing as he was lodged in jail. The judge offered him legal aid and an opportunity to file a written reply. The respondent declined both, stating that he did not wish to file a reply and that the divorce may be granted as sought by his wife.
