The Madras High Court held that Section 498A proceedings cannot be initiated merely because a marriage has broken down or because the accused are related to the spouses involved in the dispute. Quashing proceedings against the husband’s relatives, the Court said vague and omnibus allegations cannot be used to drag family members into matrimonial disputes.
The Allahabad High Court ruled that a complaint under IPC section 498A cannot be filed against a husband by a woman claiming to be his “second wife.” The court also clarified that the Dowry Prohibition Act can still apply in cases of dowry demand, even if the complaint under IPC section 498A is not maintainable due to the invalidity of the marriage.
