In Shan Baby v. Roshny Shan [2026:KER:71420], the High Court of Kerala reaffirmed that while a bride is traditionally presumed to possess gold ornaments at her wedding, a decree for their recovery requires concrete evidence of both their exact quantity and their actual entrustment to the husband or his family.
The Court emphasized that vague assertions are insufficient to establish liability; the wife must first discharge the initial burden of proof using credible corroboration—such as photographs or testimonials.
Then, the evidentiary burden shifts to the husband to prove his part of the argument in that regard. This prevents family courts from ordering recoveries based on mere assumptions.
