A major judgment was given by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where the court held that a husband can use social media evidence to substantiate the claims of adultery on his wife's side and can oppose her petition for interim maintenance and litigation cost. This judgment creates new dimensions in family law, with the digital footprint holding a pivot position in the legal battle that deals with marital disputes and claims for alimony.Background of the Case: The case arises out of a petition filed by a wife who sought maintenance and costs of litigation at the hands of her estranged husband during the pendency of their divorce proceedings. The wife claimed financial support under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. It is a common feature in such cases to claim for maintenance from one another on the basis of financial needs and circumstances. However, on the other hand, this contention by the wife was met with an onslaught on her part in relating that she was in an adulterous relationship as a reason to disentitle her from getting interim maintenance. In order to prop his argument, the husband brought before the court messages, photographs, and other online interactions, etc., which would demonstrate his wife's involvement in an extramarital affair. Court's Decision According to a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, headed by Justice HS Madaan, credible evidence through social media platforms can have a husband plead his case to resist his wife's claim for interim maintenance and litigation costs. The court held that even though the burden of proof lay with the husband to prove the adultery claim, evidence obtained through social media, such as WhatsApp messages and Facebook posts, would be admissible as evidence. According to the ruling, it is the nature of digital communications and the interactions between the wife and the alleged lover that determines whether an adulterous relationship has been achieved. Under Section 125(4) of the CrPC, nothing is payable by such husband to his wife living in adultery. This very section gave the husband a pillar on which he stood to file his case-not to mention the digitized evidence he presented before the court. Legal Discussion This judgment follows the growing influence of social media and digital evidence in family law cases. It thereby establishes a precedence whereby platforms applied for informal communication purposes can be scrutinized for other serious legal implications, especially with adultery accusation cases. This also reflects the dynamic nature of evidence in Indian courts. Indian courts are witnessing the growing use of digital interactions supplementing traditional forms such as testimony and documentation. Notably, evidence taking the form of social media can, with social media having become a ubiquitous phenomenon, paint more complete vivid pictures about personal relationships that cannot be otherwise available.