Live-in Partners, Void Marriages Can Face Cruelty Charges: Karnataka High Court Ruling
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In a landmark judgment, the Karnataka High Court has ruled that live-in partners and individuals in void or voidable marriages can be charged with cruelty under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The court's decision, made on November 18, expands the scope of the provision to include live-in relationships and marriages that are not legally valid. According to the court, the term 'husband' in Section 498A is not limited to a man in a legally valid marriage but also encompasses individuals who enter into a marital relationship or a live-in arrangement that bears the attributes of marriage. The court's ruling was made in a case where a man was accused of cruelty and dowry demands by his second wife, who claimed he had hidden his first marriage from her. The court refused to quash the proceedings against the man, stating that accepting his argument would undermine the purpose of the law and enable fraud and exploitation. The ruling emphasizes the importance of protecting women from cruelty, regardless of the legal validity of their marriage. The court's decision is seen as a significant development in the interpretation of Section 498A and its application to live-in relationships and void marriages.
