Section 498A of IPC: Supreme Court says courts must identify instances of over-implication of persons in cases and avert undue suffering to them

The Supreme Court in the case Yashodeep Bisanrao Vadode Versus The State of Maharashtra & Anr., observed and has expressed dismay over the tendency to over-implicate persons and to present an exaggerated version in Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, IPC, the domestic cruelty cases.

The bench comprising of Justice CT Ravikumar and Justice Sanjay Kumar was hearing the present matter. The bench in the case is of the view that in view of such circumstances, the courts have to be careful to identify instances of over-implication and to avert the suffering of ignominy and inexpiable consequences, by such persons.

The bench was hearing the matter wherein the appellant, who being the brother-in-law (Jija Ji) of the deceased, was booked along with the husband of the deceased and sister-in-law in a domestic cruelty case for allegedly torturing and harassing the deceased in relation to dowry demand. In the present case, the appellant was convicted under section 498A read with section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, IPC. Therefore, his sentence was modified in an appeal by the High Court to the period already suffered in imprisonment.