Supreme Court Warns About Misuse of Section 498A in Dowry and Matrimonial Cases
The Supreme Court of India has raised concerns about the misuse of Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, which was originally meant to protect women from cruelty by husbands and in-laws.
A bench of Justices S. Abdul Nazeer and Krishna Murari made this observation while quashing an FIR filed against a woman’s in-laws. The woman had accused her husband and his family of harassment and cruelty for dowry, including claims that they mentally abused her and threatened to terminate her pregnancy.
However, the court noted that the allegations were general and vague, without any specific evidence against the in-laws. The justices said that allowing such cases to continue without clear proof would lead to misuse of the legal process.
The Supreme Court overturned a 2019 ruling by the Patna High Court, which had refused to cancel the FIR dated April 1, 2019.
The bench explained that Section 498A was introduced to protect women from real abuse in marriage. However, in recent times, many cases have been filed with false or exaggerated claims, especially to settle personal scores. This has increased the pressure on families and the legal system.
The court pointed out that marriage disputes are growing, and that there is a worrying trend of accusing multiple relatives without solid reasons. It emphasized that such legal action, when not based on facts, causes harm to both the complainant and the accused.
Referring to earlier judgments, the court said it has repeatedly warned about the increasing misuse of Section 498A, and that the law must be applied fairly and responsibly.
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