The Madras High Court has reduced a mother’s life sentence to 10 years in prison for setting her 13-year-old daughter on fire. The court found no intent to commit murder in the tragic incident, which arose from a quarrel over the child’s lack of interest in studies.
The Supreme Court has issued a notice in a petition challenging the marital rape exception under Indian law. The petitioner, Ruth Manorama, argues that this exception violates fundamental constitutional rights, particularly affecting Dalit women.
The Bombay High Court rejected a wife’s plea to overturn a divorce decree, citing her absence during the hearings despite multiple summons being issued. The court ruled that the wife, who had filed criminal cases against her husband, was aware of the legal process and chose not to attend.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has amended its earlier controversial judgment, removing the phrase “kind enough” in reference to a rape convict. However, the sentence reduction from life imprisonment to 20 years remains unchanged.
The Kerala High Court ruled that consensual sex based on a false promise of marriage cannot be considered rape if the woman continued the relationship after learning the man was married. The case against the accused was dismissed.
The Karnataka High Court has determined that a husband’s suggestion for his wife to pursue further education and seek employment does not amount to cruelty. The court also overturned dowry-related charges due to insufficient evidence.
The Kerala High Court clarified that being convicted under Section 498A IPC for cruelty does not automatically mean guilt under Section 306 IPC for abetment of suicide. The Court upheld the husband’s conviction for dowry death but acquitted his mother.
The Bombay High Court has raised concerns about the misuse of Section 498A, noting that distant relatives of the husband are often falsely accused in domestic violence cases. The Court quashed the proceedings against Jyoti Patil, emphasizing that distant relatives should not be dragged into such cases.
A woman in Hailakandi, Assam, has been sent to judicial custody for filing a false rape FIR. The court’s decision highlights the seriousness of misuse of the legal system and serves as a warning against making false accusations.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed a rape case filed by a woman 18 years after the alleged incident, citing the allegations as false and made to exert financial pressure. The court quashed the FIR and all related proceedings, calling it a miscarriage of justice.
