One wife found out her husband had been secretly having an affair of seven years and almost moved out ₹25 million for the second wife. The revelation came only after the man’s death. And it completely changed the woman’s understanding of their marriage.
The incident happened in Shanghai, China. A woman surnamed Shen married her husband Jin in July 1999. They had two children together, a son and a daughter. The couple remained married for more than two decades until Jin died in May 2022.
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Shen later found out that Jin had been involved with the Tao woman since 2015. He had quietly given her more than 19 million yuan over seven years. His family knew nothing of the relationship.
After the transfers were revealed, Shen and her children went to court. They tried to recover the full amount from Tao through legal means.
During the first hearings, the court ruled that Jin had no legal right to give away such a large part of the marital property without his wife’s consent. This considered the gifts invalid. The court ordered Tao to return the money.
Because Tao has already sent back 5.4 million yuan ( ₹7 crore), the court ordered her to repay the remaining money to Shen.
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Tao challenged the decision and filed an appeal. However, the Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court rejected her claim and upheld the original verdict.
According to the judges, the extramarital affair and financial transfers violated Shen’s legal rights as a husband. They also ruled that such conduct violates recognized public morality and social values.
Reaction on social networks
The verdict provoked strong reactions on the Internet. Several people expressed disbelief at the huge amount involved.
“19 million yuan? Most working-class people couldn’t earn that amount even if they started working in the Qin Dynasty (221-206). Still, one gave it as a token of love, just like that. This decision is really satisfying,” SCMP quoted one of them as saying.
Many users welcomed the decision, saying it was a clear example. Some felt that justice had finally been served, while others noted that the decision strengthened the social order.
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“A decision like this is what really promotes public morality and social order. This is great and the lady didn’t get a single thing,” one posted on social media.
Another wrote: “Finally. May all lovers end up with nothing: no man, no money.”
“The scammer died and the money came back. Perfect,” chimed in another.
Adultery in India
Adultery is no longer a criminal offense in India. However, it still has legal implications in civil matters such as matrimonial disputes. In 2018, the Supreme Court overturned an old colonial law that made adultery a crime.
Even though adultery is decriminalized, it is still considered morally wrong in Indian society. It is a valid reason for divorce or legal separation under most personal laws.
Hindu, Christian, Pari and special marriage laws clearly allow divorce if a partner has an extramarital affair. Under Muslim law, adultery can be considered cruelty.
Adultery can also affect alimony and child support. A spouse living in adultery may lose the right to alimony. Courts can reduce or deny alimony after reviewing behavior.
One exception is in the armed forces, where adultery can still attract disciplinary action. In court, adultery must be proven by strong circumstantial evidence, not direct evidence.
