Bombay HC Rules Asking Married Woman to Do Household Work Not an Offence
In a recent judgment, the Bombay High Court declared that requesting a married woman to do household chores for her family is not an offense. The bench led by Justice Rajesh S. Patil quashed the FIR filed against a husband under several sections, including Section 498A of the IPC.
The wife had claimed that after a month of marriage, her husband and in-laws began treating her like a maid. She also alleged that they demanded Rs. 4,00,000 for purchasing a car, and upon refusal, her husband harassed her both physically and mentally.
However, the High Court stated that expecting a married woman to do household work for her family does not equate to treating her as a maid. The court emphasized that if the woman was unwilling to perform these duties, she should have communicated this before or shortly after the marriage.
The bench reviewed the FIR and witness statements but found insufficient details to support the claims of physical and mental harassment. The court noted that simply using the terms “mental and physical harassment” does not fulfill the criteria of Section 498A of the IPC without specific acts described.
The High Court concluded that the allegations and evidence were inadequate to establish a case under Section 498A. Consequently, the court quashed the FIR against the husband, ruling that it would be futile to proceed with the trial.
Case Title: Sarang Diwakar Amle v. State of Maharashtra
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