cruelty under Section 498A

1.     The Andhra Pradesh High Court recently held that cruelty under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)  would not amount to cruelty if a mother-in-law asks her daughter-in-law to be adept at doing household chores

2.     Single-judge Justice Dr VR K Kripa Sagar rejected the argument that the appellant-husband and her mother had brutalised the deceased woman as they often asked her to be a little more adept at her domestic work.

3.     The Court held a married woman to be told by her mother-in-law that she needs more perfection in doing household chores or being present. It can never be called cruelty or harassment among family members. Praise or comment in terms of the actions being done is a normal thing in any household. For which he was either abused or physically beaten.

4.     The court was hearing an appeal filed by a mother and her son who were convicted on charges of dowry death of a daughter-in-law who died within eight months of their marriage in April 2008.

5.     The complainant alleged that his daughter was brutalised within eight months of her marriage to the appellant.

6.     The judge, however, dismissed the controversy.

7.     The judge further said that mere demand for dowry cannot be considered as cruelty unless failure to comply with the demand is seen as cruelty.

8.     In its order, the bench said the material on record to convict the appellants under the dowry death charges is deficient.

9.     the judge said.

10."If indeed the dead woman had suffered trouble, there was no opportunity for her not to tell someone who was available around her house"

11.The bench further said that there was never an incident of any accused sending the deceased away from home nor did the deceased run away from her in-laws' house and reach her mother and brother to complain about any trouble by the accused.

12.With these observations, the bench set aside the sentence.