LUDHIANA: Meeting that special someone on Facebook, baring the heart on online chat and finally tying the knot, it does sound like the perfect launchpad for a blissful married life. But as with anything, there are pitfalls too. Take the case of Preet, who thought a six-year-long affair could only lead to a stable married life.
The first six months were calm but after that, a web of deception did them in. "Since last August, I have been collecting proof against her. She has been chatting up many men and has even exchanged numbers. When I found out, I could not believe it initially but her phone calls suggested that she had been talking to these men even at midnight".
Preet says he would have filed a divorce long ago but wanted to collect all the details first. He got his wife's Facebook ID hacked and started checking it on a daily basis. He now has all her chats on paper. "While my lawyer says that these things don't work in court when filing a divorce but, it doesn't mean they are not true. I was a fool, I should have known that if she could speak to me on Facebook, she could speak to other guys as well".
Another couple, married for four years, is on the verge of separation because of activities on a social networking site. Prabnoor Singh (name changed) has been spying on his wife and collecting data on her check-ins and location on Facebook. "I have added her on Facebook under some other name and she often chats with me. She has enabled the location name on her Facebook chat and whenever she texts me, I get to know where she is. We have frequent fights when I suspect her and I haven't yet told her about it but I will when I have all the proof I need to prove that she has been cheating on me", he said.
Advocate Harminder Singh Narang, who happens to be a close witness to some such instances, says the Hindu Marriage Act may have to be amended a little with an additional Facebook clause. "It is very shocking to see how couples end up getting separated because either they cheat or are found cheating. But cheating here does not mean that your spouse catches you in a compromising act." He says he often comes across people who feel such proof is enough to end a marriage. They are often shocked at the fact that such things are not considered in the court of law.