The Supreme Court acquitted a man after 26 years in a dowry and cruelty case, stressing that vague allegations cannot sustain conviction under Section 498A IPC. The Court flagged concerns over misuse of dowry laws in matrimonial disputes.
The Allahabad High Court has ruled that a husband cannot deny paternity of children born during marriage through secret DNA tests. It rejected a man’s plea seeking fresh DNA testing to avoid paying maintenance, upholding the legal presumption of legitimacy under Section 112 of the Evidence Act.
The Supreme Court has quashed a criminal case under Section 498A IPC against a woman’s in-laws, noting inconsistencies in her complaint and clear signs of malicious intent.
Interpol has issued a blue corner notice against Ronak Pandya, an NRI accused in a 498A domestic violence and dowry case filed by his wife in Ahmedabad. He fled to the UK in 2005 and has remained untraceable since.
The Karnataka High Court ruled that a dowry harassment complaint filed after receiving a divorce notice lacks legal significance. The court dismissed the FIR against the in-laws, stating the allegations were retaliatory.
The Bombay High Court ruled that mental cruelty under Section 498A IPC can be inflicted even if in-laws reside separately. The court dismissed an application to quash criminal proceedings, emphasizing that cruelty is not limited to physical harm.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled that simply mentioning family members in a 498A dowry case is not enough to justify legal action unless their active involvement is proven.
The Delhi High Court has called for strict measures to prevent false cases against husbands and their families, citing the risk of misuse of the legal system and harm to the social fabric. This observation was made in a case involving fabricated allegations of a woman’s suicide.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled that unnatural sex between a husband and wife in a valid marriage is not an offence under Section 377 IPC, regardless of consent, citing that marital rape is not recognized in Indian law.
The Jharkhand High Court has ruled that refusing medical treatment to a wife as a means to enforce dowry demands amounts to cruelty under Section 498A of the IPC, upholding the conviction of the husband in a dowry-related case.
