Citing Draupadi From Mahabharat, Delhi High Court Discharges Man In Adultery Case

Citing the episode of Draupadi from the Mahabharata, the Delhi High Court discharged a man in an adultery case. The court reasoned that the concept of adultery, as previously understood under Section 497 of the IPC (now decriminalized), treated a woman as the property of her husband, akin to Draupadi's situation. The High Court found that continuing the prosecution for adultery would be inconsistent with the principles of gender equality and individual autonomy recognized by the Supreme Court in decriminalizing the offense. This decision reflects the evolving understanding of marital relationships and the rejection of archaic notions of proprietary rights over spouses in legal proceedings.