The wife also filed a dowry case against her husband and his family members. When the girlfriend appealed to the Karnataka High Court, the court rejected her plea. This led the girlfriend to approach the Supreme Court, questioning how a girlfriend could be prosecuted under Section 498A of the IPC.
The Supreme Court ruled that a woman involved in an extra-marital affair cannot be charged under Section 498A IPC for cruelty, as she does not qualify as a “relative.” The bench, led by Justices Gavai and Viswanathan, quashed a criminal case against a woman based on allegations from the complainant-wife.