Bombay HC: Telling Wife to Bring Money Isn’t ‘Harassment’ If No Evidence of Cruelty
The Bombay High Court recently ruled that merely telling a wife she cannot stay with her husband if she fails to bring money from her parental home does not amount to mental or physical harassment. This decision was made after the court found that the woman had filed false allegations against her husband and in-laws.
Details of the Case
A division bench comprising Justices Vibha Kankanwadi and Rohit Joshi reviewed the case. The wife, in her First Information Report (FIR), accused her husband and in-laws of demanding ₹5 lakh from her parents to secure a public service job for her husband. She claimed her parents were unable to provide the money due to financial constraints.
However, the court observed that the wife failed to provide clear evidence, such as dates or the duration of the alleged demands. The allegations were deemed vague, as she did not establish how she was subjected to cruelty or mistreatment.
Concerns Over Police Investigation
The bench expressed concerns about how the police handle such cases. Many statements in the case were from the woman’s relatives and appeared to be repetitive and poorly investigated.
The judges emphasized that police should not automatically file charges against everyone named in the FIR. Investigating officers should focus on gathering strong evidence and avoid false implications. The bench stated that if some accused individuals reside far from the scene of the alleged crime, their involvement must be carefully assessed before including them in the charge-sheet.
Observations and Verdict
The case involved accusations against the husband, his parents, his brother, his married sister, her husband, and a cousin. The court noted that such widespread accusations often lead to unnecessary harassment.
As the wife failed to substantiate her claims with proper evidence, the bench quashed the FIR.
Case Title: MM vs. State of Maharashtra
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