Supreme Court cautions against over-implication of in-laws in 498A cases
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued a warning to state prosecution and the judiciary, urging caution to prevent the “over-implication” of in-laws in domestic harassment cases under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The directive was delivered in a recent judgment by a Bench comprising Justices C.T. Ravikumar and Sanjay Kumar.
The warning came during the hearing of an appeal by a man, the brother-in-law of the victim, who was charged with harassment despite a lack of concrete evidence linking him to the alleged offence. The incident dates back to April 2011, and the appellant had married into the family just five months before the victim’s death.
The case began when the woman’s father lodged a complaint with Maharashtra Police, alleging that his daughter was subjected to mental and physical torture by her husband and in-laws to extort ₹5 lakh for purchasing a flat. The victim’s body was discovered with ligature marks and abrasions, leading to suspicions of foul play.
Despite the man’s claim of innocence, both the session’s court and the Bombay High Court dismissed his appeal, asserting his involvement. In the Supreme Court, the appellant argued that he had minimal interaction with the deceased and had no opportunity to harass her.
Justice Ravikumar, writing for the Bench, emphasized the prevalence of exaggerated complaints in such cases, stating, “Exaggerated versions of the incident are common, and over-implication is frequently observed.” The court underscored the need for judicial prudence in distinguishing genuine cases from those involving baseless allegations, to prevent unjust suffering.
The judgment further criticized the lower courts for delivering a “perverse” finding of guilt against the appellant, noting the complete lack of evidence connecting him to the offence.“The appellant has suffered ignominy and legal consequences without any material evidence against him,” the Bench observed, setting aside the conviction.
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KSRTC adds 20 luxury buses each worth Rs 1.78 crore to its fleet
Bengaluru, Oct 30: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) inducted 20 luxury buses -- Airavat Club Class 2.0 model -- each worth Rs 1.78 crore, to its fleet on Wednesday, officials said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah flagged off the new buses along with Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy. He also took a ride with the Minister in one of those buses.
According to KSRTC, Siddaramaiah presented 'Sarige Suraksha' accident relief compensation cheque of Rs one crore each to two deceased employee’s (Nagaraju M N, Conductor, Ramanagara Division and Shivanna, Driver-cum-Conductor, Mysuru City Division) dependents.
So far, dependents of 22 deceased employees have been paid with accident compensation of Rs 22 crore. Dependents of five employees, who died due to ailments other than accidents, were also paid family welfare compensation of Rs 10 Lakh each on the occasion.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said KSRTC is the first corporation in the country to introduce these types of innovative schemes and, under the guidance of the Transport Minister, it is bringing laurels to the Government and all its employees are appreciative of this effort.
The new buses have a 3.5 per cent increase in overall bus length, providing more space between passenger seats, officials said.
