Karnataka High Court Clears US-Based Doctor and His Mother in Dowry Harassment Case
The Karnataka High Court has acquitted a US-based doctor and his 77-year-old mother in a dowry harassment case. The court observed that the wife’s allegations were vague and overly sensitive, turning normal family matters into serious charges.
The woman had accused her husband of forcing her to study for a job in the US and claimed that her mother-in-law pressured her to eat more food, have children, and learn the Tamil language. These minor disagreements, she claimed, amounted to harassment.
Back in September 2013, a magistrate court in Bengaluru had found both the doctor and his mother guilty under Section 498-A of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The son was sentenced to one year in prison with a ₹1 lakh fine, and the mother to six months with a ₹10,000 fine.
Later, on December 1, 2016, a sessions court upheld the lower court’s decision. The doctor and his mother then challenged both rulings in the High Court through criminal revision petitions.
Court Finds Complaints Lacking Detail
Justice HB Prabhakara Sastry, who heard the case, criticized the trial courts for relying too heavily on the wife’s testimony, which he said lacked specific incidents or solid proof. He pointed out that the wife’s claims were not supported by her sister, who was said to have communicated with her via emails but was never examined in court.
In one email from August 11, 2008, the wife complained to her sister that her mother-in-law was giving her too much food and she had to eat or go hungry. She also said her mother-in-law constantly argued and made it hard for her to eat or breathe.
Court Emphasizes Misinterpretation of Family Issues
The judge remarked that the wife’s claims turned even acts of care and affection into signs of harassment. He stated:
“Small and minor differences are common in most families. But the complainant seemed overly sensitive and turned trivial issues into serious allegations.”
Verdict
With these observations, the High Court set aside both earlier judgments and acquitted the doctor and his mother, stating that the charges were not supported by strong or clear evidence.
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