Delhi High Court Upholds Comprehensive Scope of Section 498A

The Delhi High Court reaffirmed that Section 498A of the IPC addresses various forms of cruelty against women, including mental, emotional, and financial abuse. Hospitalisation is not a prerequisite for invoking it, as that would undermine its purpose. The court dismissed a man's plea for anticipatory bail over alleged cruelty.

The Delhi High Court has clarified that Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was established to provide relief to women facing diverse forms of cruelty, not merely physical abuse necessitating hospitalization. This ruling came as the court dismissed a man's plea for anticipatory bail in a case alleging cruelty and dowry demands by his estranged wife.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma highlighted that cruelty encompasses mental, emotional, and financial abuses, emphasizing that making hospitalization a requirement would unfairly block justice for many women who suffer abuse in private settings. The court criticized the argument that the situation was mere 'wear-and-tear' of marriage, stressing that insisting on evident physical injury as a threshold would invalidate the provision and silence victims.

The complaint in the case was described as 'serious and distressing,' with accusations of severe harassment, mental trauma, and retention of the complainant's jewelry and personal belongings. The judgment reinforces the broad application of Section 498A, ensuring the protection of women against all forms of abuse.

(With inputs from agencies.)