In the case of Manju Ram Kalita v. State of Assam, a wife accused her husband of physical and mental cruelty under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The husband, however, denied all allegations of cruelty.
The court ruled that “cruelty” under Section 498A must be assessed within the specific context of this law, as its definition may differ from other legal provisions. The court emphasized that cruelty should be evaluated based on the man’s behavior, the severity of his actions, and whether they could drive the woman to extreme steps like suicide. It is essential to prove that the woman faced continuous or recent acts of cruelty in close proximity to when the complaint was filed.
Importantly, the court also clarified that minor arguments or petty quarrels cannot be classified as “cruelty” under Section 498A. For this law to apply, the acts of cruelty must be of a serious nature.
Be a part our social media community:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndianMan.in?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/indianman.in?igsh=MWZ2N3N0ZmpwM3l3cw==
