In a recent ruling, the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court overturned a 20-year-old conviction of a man and his family, who were found guilty of cruelty toward his deceased wife under IPC Section 498A and abetment to suicide under Section 306. The High Court ruled that actions like taunting the woman, not allowing her to watch TV, restricting her from visiting the temple alone, and making her sleep on a carpet did not meet the threshold of “severe” cruelty required under IPC 498A, and were instead deemed domestic matters. Justice Abhay S Waghwase, in the October 17 verdict, found that these allegations were insufficient to constitute mental or physical cruelty, reported LiveLaw.
The case involved allegations from the deceased woman’s family, claiming she was made to fetch water at midnight, among other complaints. Justice Waghwase noted that, while the allegations raised by family members involved dissatisfaction with household matters, they lacked the severity to classify as cruelty under IPC. Thus, the High Court acquitted the man and his family of all charges, citing the lack of legal grounds for conviction based on these accusations.
However, this has angered innumerable people online who have been raising their voices against cruelty towards married women. They were not convinced by the Bombay High Court’s ruling and called it patriarchal, anti-women and misogynistic. Here’s a look at what people have been saying:
marriage is scary in india. your parents pick your husband and if your in laws turn out to be like this and push you to su*cide the justice system will take their side by saying it’s just domestic matter. look at the type of cases that go into the ‘acquittal’ stats. https://t.co/uRsaerKzmh pic.twitter.com/Q488ZxwRx1
— 🔫 (@asastounding) November 9, 2024
Indian women should just stop getting married. Marital rape is legal, daughter in laws being treated like slaves is legal, men are incels and misogynists and women don’t want them, arranged marriages happen only when a woman’s family pays dowry. Marriages don’t work for women. https://t.co/9s3IITRHYh
— Sakshi Narula (@mssakshinarula) November 9, 2024
The woman died by suicide as a result of these actions, but none of them amount to cruelty. Its pathetic how much women are expected to endure and still go on even without a slight complaint. https://t.co/URp6d1URdl
— Raveeena (@_raveeena_) November 8, 2024
I read the judgement thinking the headline must’ve been misleading. Turns out Bombay HC really has acquitted the accused by observing that such acts don’t amount to cruelty!
The wife literally commited suicide unable to bear the torture. We’ve a lot to improve as a society. https://t.co/RNlcNd9GUM
— Raghav Bharat (@Raghav461) November 8, 2024
“ALLOWING”
Excuse ME?
Wtf. This country is doomed. The courts themselves are resorting to misogynistic and patriarchal mindsets, doling out such shitty judgments. We are regressive.
Women should stop marrying and just adopt. These men deserve to rot alone. https://t.co/5AtoH5gW7S
— Rosa (@Rosalinedreams) November 9, 2024
If the words “marital rape” and “not a crime” can be uttered in a single sentence, “not allowing”, “making her sleep on carpet” and “not cruelty” is pretty mild, I’d say. https://t.co/4VCgHfm3RA
— Gautam S. Mengle (@NotMengele) November 9, 2024
I strongly disagree with the Bombay High Court. At the same time “cruelty and harassment” is only established when cases are extreme or severe. What has happened in this case is COERCIVE CONTROL. https://t.co/jJv7N2wkGf
— Vasundhara Sirnate (@vsirnate) November 8, 2024
What are your views regarding this issue?