Calcutta High Court Dismisses Cruelty Case Against Woman’s In-Laws, Rules Swiping Allegations Without Torture Are Not Grounds for Criminal Charges.

The Calcutta High Court has dismissed a cruelty case filed under Section 498A and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act against a woman’s in-laws. The court noted that the allegations and witness statements did not show any evidence of mistreatment by the in-laws. The case was brought by the father-in-law of the victim, seeking to quash the FIR and Charge-Sheet. Justice Sugato Majumdar emphasized that criminal charges can bring shame to a family and pointed out the lack of sufficient evidence, especially from the victim.

The petitioner argued that the alleged incidents occurred in Singapore, while the in-laws lived in Chennai. They claimed that any issues between the husband and wife did not involve them. The court remarked that vague allegations against the in-laws should not lead to criminal charges. It also highlighted the absence of key evidence, including the victim’s statement. The written complaint mainly accused the husband of physical abuse, but he was not included in the plea to dismiss the case. Therefore, the court quashed the case against the in-laws.

Cause Title: Rajendra Prasad Sitani and Anr. v. The State of West Bengal [Case No. CRR/97/2024] Appearance:
Petitioners: Advocates Debashis Sinha, Avijit Chowdhury, Rishav Ray & Sonali Gupta
State: Advocates A.S. Chakraborty & Kallol Acharya