Mumbai: The Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court on Saturday quashed the decision of a lower court in a 20-year-old dowry harassment case. The High Court ruled that the allegations against the in-laws do not amount to “severe harassment,” and all accused have been acquitted.
The case involved accusations that the deceased woman was not allowed to watch TV, was forbidden from going to the temple alone, and was forced to sleep on the floor.
The high court noted that these incidents were related to domestic issues and did not meet the legal definition of physical or mental cruelty. The court observed that the accusations were based on certain household rules, which were not sufficient to prove serious charges of cruelty.
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The lower court had previously found the woman’s husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law and brother-in-law guilty under IPC Sections 498A and 306, which pertain to domestic harassment and abetment of suicide. The accused had appealed the verdict in the High Court, which led to their acquittal.
In the judgement delivered on October 17, Justice Abhay S Waghwase highlighted the main allegations, which included taunts over the quality of food, restrictions on watching TV, prohibition from visiting the temple or meeting neighbours alone, forcing the woman to sleep on the floor, and making her clean household garbage.
The family also claimed that the deceased was asked to fetch water in the middle of the night. The court, however, explained that water supply in the village was scheduled around midnight, and it was common for residents to wake up around 1.30 am to fill water, making it a normal practice rather than harassment.
