The Punjab and Haryana High Court imposed a fine of Rs. 1 lakh on a woman for filing a false cruelty case against her 100% disabled in-laws. The court found the allegations to be clearly false and an abuse of legal processes.
The case stemmed from an FIR filed in May 2017 under Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in Jhajjar district, accusing the woman’s father-in-law and mother-in-law of cruelty. However, the court noted that the father-in-law’s medical condition showed he could only walk with crutches, making it impossible for him to “run and beat” the complainant as alleged. Similarly, the mother-in-law was wheelchair-bound with non-functional lower limbs, which invalidated claims that she had dragged the complainant by her hair and slapped her.
Justice Gupta, in her detailed order, stated that the case was “frivolous, vexatious, and ill-intended,” inflicting unnecessary hardship on the in-laws, who were already struggling with severe disabilities. The court declared that it was actually the complainant who had caused emotional abuse and suffering to her in-laws, turning the situation on its head.
The court emphasized that the legal system exists to protect individuals and alleviate suffering, not to be misused for personal vendettas. Justice Gupta ruled that the FIR was a gross misuse of the legal process. As a punitive and deterrent measure, the complainant was ordered to pay Rs. 1 lakh as exemplary costs within four months to be shared equally between the in-laws. Failure to comply would result in further legal action.
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