The Bombay High Court’s Aurangabad bench has overturned a 20-year-old conviction against a man and his family accused of mistreating his late wife, which allegedly drove her to suicide.
The wife’s family had initially claimed she faced restrictions imposed by her in-laws, such as not being allowed to watch TV, visit the temple, or go to neighbours’ houses alone. They also alleged she was made to sleep on the floor and had to handle tasks like taking out the family’s garbage.
However, the High Court stated these actions did not meet the standard of “severe” cruelty as defined under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code. “This case did not rise to the level of physical or mental cruelty,” the court said, as reported by Live Law.
The court’s judgment acquitted the husband, his parents, and his brother, who had been previously convicted under IPC Sections 498A (cruelty) and 306 (abetment to suicide). The decision came after the accused appealed the trial court’s initial conviction.
The wife’s family also claimed she was forced to fetch water at midnight. In response, the court referred to local testimonies confirming that residents in Varangaon, where the family lived, typically collected water around 1:30 a.m.
The court ruled that these actions did not meet the criteria for severe cruelty under the law, leading to the acquittal of the husband and his family.
