The Supreme Court of India ruled on Monday that parties involved in matrimonial disputes cannot casually withdraw from a mediated settlement after accepting its benefits. The bench, comprising Justices Rajesh Bindal and Vijay Bishnoi, stated that valid grounds such as force, fraud, or undue influence must be established for any withdrawal. In the case at hand, the husband and wife had reached a mediated settlement where the husband agreed to pay ₹1.5 crore and return jewelry. However, the wife later retracted her consent and initiated domestic violence proceedings against her husband and mother-in-law. The Supreme Court disapproved of her claims regarding the settlement and emphasized that emotional disputes should not lead to criminal litigation. Ultimately, the court invoked its powers under Article 142(1) and granted divorce, declaring the marriage had irretrievably broken down, while quashing the lower court's order allowing the domestic violence case to proceed.