If your wife's behaviour toward your parents has become a major and persistent source of conflict, understanding whether this genuinely supports seeking both divorce and custody is important.

Regarding divorce specifically, as discussed extensively in relation to Narendra v. K. Meena, the Supreme Court has specifically recognised that persistent and unjustified pressure by a wife to force her husband to separate from his parents, without justifiable reason, can constitute matrimonial cruelty under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, meaning if your wife's specific behaviour toward your parents reflects this kind of sustained, unjustified conflict, rather than isolated incidents of ordinary family friction, this can genuinely support your divorce petition.

To properly establish this ground, it is essential to document the specific pattern of conflict, including particular incidents, the genuine impact this has had on you and your family relationships, and, importantly, whether your wife's specific conduct genuinely lacks justifiable reason, since courts will examine whether her behaviour reflects a reasonable response to some specific mistreatment by your parents, versus reflecting genuinely unjustified hostility or pressure on her part.

If your parents have genuinely and specifically been mistreated or harassed by your wife, it is worth understanding that this could additionally support a separate complaint if your wife's conduct toward them rises to a level constituting harassment or, in serious cases, criminal intimidation under Section 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), though this is a distinct consideration from your own divorce petition specifically.

Regarding custody specifically, if you have children, it is genuinely important to understand that this specific conflict with your parents, while relevant to your divorce petition, does not automatically or directly translate into a custody advantage for you, since custody determinations are governed by the paramount welfare-of-the-child principle, focusing specifically on which parent can genuinely provide the more stable, appropriate, and nurturing environment for the child, rather than simply reflecting which parent "won" the broader marital dispute.

If your children are genuinely young, it is worth understanding, as discussed extensively throughout this context, that Section 6 of the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 establishes a strong presumption favouring maternal custody for children under five years, meaning this specific presumption remains genuinely relevant regardless of your wife's conflict with your parents, unless you can properly establish that this specific conduct has directly and negatively affected your children's own welfare and safety in a manner warranting departure from this presumption.

If you believe your wife's conflict with your parents has genuinely and specifically affected your children, such as exposing them to ongoing hostility or distress, it is worth ensuring this specific and demonstrated impact on the children themselves is properly documented, since this becomes the genuinely relevant consideration for your custody claim, rather than the underlying conflict between your wife and your parents in isolation.

If you are seeking custody specifically because you believe your parents can provide valuable support in raising your children, it is worth understanding that while extended family support can be a genuinely positive factor courts consider, this alone does not typically override the specific, primary welfare considerations relevant to the child's direct relationship with each parent.

Given how these two distinct legal questions, your divorce grounds and any custody determination, genuinely require separate and specific evidentiary approaches, it is essential to consult an experienced family law advocate to properly assess your specific circumstances. You can reach out via Aapka Legal Advice for guidance on properly presenting both your divorce petition given this conflict with your parents, and any custody claim you wish to pursue.

You can review Top Divorce Lawyers in India | Aapka Legal Advice for relevant experience.

Many people find real value in obtaining an independent, experienced perspective from the panel of retired judges available through certain legal consultation platforms.

If formal legal representation is required, engaging an experienced advocate will ensure both dimensions of your case are properly and separately addressed.

In summary, a husband can genuinely seek divorce on the ground of cruelty under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 where his wife's persistent and unjustified behaviour toward his parents is properly documented, drawing on the principles established in Narendra v. K. Meena, but any custody claim requires separately and specifically demonstrating how this conflict has directly affected the children's own welfare, since custody determinations remain governed by the paramount welfare-of-the-child principle rather than simply reflecting the outcome of the broader marital dispute.