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rajiv_lodha (zz)     15 August 2011

Fear from half dead demon

My X filed false 498a +406 complaint against me n family. CAW cell did not recommend FIR against any of us. Her application stands FILED now. We obtained all relevent police documents throu RTI. Closure report is already 6 months old. I suspect some more mischief from her dirty mind. In my view, she may:-

1. Move to higher police offcers that her side was not held properly & besides revealing a cognizable offence, no FIR+investigation was done:

At the most, we have to re-join investigations. Much time has passed & she does not have any proof of allegations. Marking to the level of DCP are already in place.

What are experts views on this point. Any worry or not? Some more to do from my side?

2. She may move court with private complaint. What I have understood reading LCI that she has to 1st submit some proofs to court so that it takes cognizance. The respondent party does not get the smell of these happenings. What next:

* Upon 'satisfaction', does the court recommend FIR? Do we get oportunity to get AB? Is the role of police harrassment decreased in such pvt complaint case? Is the sting out if there is complaint case?

* Does the court sends summons to us to join as accused? Still danger of arrest?

Plz explain the natural course of such 498a/406 complaint case & what are advisories?

thanx



Learning

 10 Replies

Shonee Kapoor (Legal Evangelist - TRIPAKSHA)     15 August 2011

406 is a warrant case and hence no summons.

But police has twice sent the closure report means they have not found any allegation to be true/ any allegation worth investigating, very difficult for them to move court and register FIR now.


Yes, it can run as private complaint, for which bail would be necessitated

rajiv_lodha (zz)     16 August 2011

Thanx Mr Kapoor!

* Closure report is 1time only, IO has submitted it to ACP who endorsed it. Complaint stands FILED.

* If it runs as Pvt complaint case, can it be thought that STING IS OUT? Is police harassment less in this scene. In other words, What is the difference being recepient if the terrorist attacks at CAW cell--->FIR or Pvt Complaint Case at CJM.

Shonee Kapoor (Legal Evangelist - TRIPAKSHA)     17 August 2011

I would presume so, but don't take any chances, engage an honest and hardworking lawyer.

Adv. Chandrasekhar (Advocate)     17 August 2011

I take some time out and reply to the question in detail.  Even though my reply does not actually give pointed answers to the questions raised by the querrier, I want to give lengthy answer because often I see similar questions related to Section 498-A IPC.  So, the answer consists of relevant and not so relevant material to the questions posed by the enquirer.

That this forum is mostly used by men and very a few women come seeking legal advice. Quite often I see the male enquirer starts his question saying that my wife filed a totally false/fake criminal case against me and later on describes her as legal terrorist (refer to one Supreme Court judgement where exercising Section 498-A has been described as legal terrorism - Preeti Gupta Versus State of Jharkhand) and some times describes her as demon, ghost, prostitute, b**** etc. etc. most abusive words.   The real legal experts are put off for such vocabulary and even though they like to give legal advice to the seekers, due to the presence of these abusive words in the enquiry, they will not give answers.  The ultimate loss will be to the enquirer.  So I request the advise seekers to frame their questions in a polished way and put their problem witout abusing their life partner and his/her parents.  The legal expert, just by hint understand the real story and give you appropriate advice. 

The word "cruelty" in Section 498-A is defined, which   may be physical or mental.  Further, harassment is also two types - harassment free from dowry demand and the harassment with dowry demand.  Mere dowry demand is not harassment until it is coupled with harassment, which may be either mental or physical.  Cuelty may be for any other reason free from dowry demand.  If a sadistic husband subjects his wife cruelly without having any demand of dowry, then also the offence under Section 498-A is attracted.  So,  the wife can be subjected to the following four types of cruelties / harassment:

1. Physical cruelty without dowry demand;

2. Mental cruelty withhout dowry demand;

3. Physical harassment with dowry demand;

4. Mental harassment with dowry demand.

Often it is alleged by the husband that there is no evidence to prove any one of the above acts and hence Section 498-A is false and has to be quashed instantly by the hon'ble High Court otherwise the innocent husband will face the gruelling indian criminal justice system without any fault and it is unfair.

We will objectively try to understand, without favouring husband or wife,  how the evidence can be shown or seen in Section 498-A cases.    

1.  For example, the wife's allegation is that she has been subjected to physical cruelty by the husband on his false belief that she had extra-marital relationship.  He used to slap her before all his family members, used to punch her or kick her. He used to slap her on several occasions on the ground that she was not doing her domestic chores or not showing sufficient respect towards his parents.  Here, she is alleging physical cruelty without anny dowry demand in matrimonial home.  In Indian conditions, people will not go to doctors for getting treatment for slaps, punches and kicks.  Actually, these physcical attacks will not harm the body much but create severe mental agony.  She does not have medical treatment papers to show physical cruelty.  She cannot produce any other witness than herself to prove the harsh treatment she received from husband.  In matrimonial home, none of husband's relatives support her case and come forward as witness.  She has never shared this trauma with her neighbours, as it is agaist indian tradition to share family problems with neighbours. None of the neighbours had seen her receiving beatings or heard her cries (If they see, then also they will not come in witness box,as it is our Indian tradtion that "do not interfere in other's domestic matters").  Now, what evidence can she show before the I.O. or before the court to prove her case, that too beyond reasonable doubt?  The only method is to give her own statement and if she shared her trauma with her parents, get their statements.  Beyond this, she cannot produce the other evidence.  Indian courts are well aware of this situation and so they modulate their procedure to provide justice to the needy.

2.  In other types of cruelty (mental) or harassent (for dowry or without dowry demand), the wife faces the same problem to produce evidence.  Indian Courts are conscious of this problem and so, if FIR is not registered, as in other criminal cases, the wife has got a right under Sectioon 156 (3) Cr.P.C. to get a direction from the court against the police to register F.I.R. and conduct thorough investigatioon and file its report.   If I.O. through prosecution submits the closure report, the court will not take it at face value.  The opportunity will be given to the complainant to contest the closure report.  Similar is the quashing of FIR and criminal proceedings in Section 498-A.  The courts are hesitant to do so, because they know the problem of getting evidence by the wife in matrimonial home, where she has only accused around her and none as a friend to the complainant.

rajiv_lodha (zz)     17 August 2011

Advo Chandu!

Thnax for comprehensive talk on CRUELTY clause of 498a. U rightly said that this law was made & implemented to cover these things...That how such a female will bring EVIDENCE or WITNESS to sustain her allegations. Thats why it was made non-compoundable, Non bailable & Cognizable offence.

But analyze it in any way, may be statistical or otherwise, the main element of the law got hijacked by so called metro-wives with the help of shrewed lawyers. Police too saw big extortion game here. U talk of a lady living with traditional values in her family, subjected to harassment by husband/in laws, who fails to produce evidence about her suffering....law has every duty to help her out. But on the same footing, one loses sight of innocent husbands+inlaws who are threatened by bad mouthed DIL who happens to be objected by hubby d/t her adulterous relationship which he can not PROVE too! Sec 498a comes as a handy tool to threaten all of them to shut their mouth. Delhi High Court also says-- marriages do fail, even love marriages fail. But dowry harassment in not behind each failed marriage..... there are many such stories about the easy misuse of this law. We will not enter in to details....MISUSE OF ANY LAW IS CONDEMABLE. I think, courts & law makers shoud respect delicate matrimonial fabric. POLICE, BAIL, RECOVERY, RAIDS should be restrained, once innocent family is subjected to this humiliation, chances of restoration of married life become nil....small kids and aged parents are maximum sufferers....Believe me so many husbands and their families are being extorted using these biased laws.

Re-visiting the questions in hand..... I apologise if I called my X a terrorist.

If her charges are false, she is hell bent to show me + my parents the 4 walls of jail from inside! Her 498a application fell at CAW & sheis not pleased at her failure. What next she can do on earth to blow life into this 498a/406 demon? What I ubderstand

1. Go to high ups in the police that she was not provided justice & despite cognizable offence police never registered a case. COUNER- a). she was unable to provide a single proof to the IO at CAW. b). She already started with from the higher end (DIG police) with this application which later trickled down & then FILED at ACP level

2. Can move to CJM wid 156 (3). I want to know more about this path. a) Natural course of such complaint case. b) Is the sting (read police harassment etc) out if she takes this course. c) Does she have to submit substantial proof to the court to make her complaint bear fruit d) When will be the need of AB actually in this case?

Thanx

Adv. Chandrasekhar (Advocate)     17 August 2011

There is no purpose to argue at length.  You are an affected party and it is difficult for you to comprehend things objectively and see the view point from the women sufferers also.  You also do not have sufficient criminal law knowledge that how police and influential personnel in the society can also frame up very innocent citizens in very henious crimes of murder, rape and robbery and put them behind the bars for years together till the trial ends.  So, I stop to discuss about this any further in this thread.  Coming to your questions my pointed answers are as follows:

What next she can do on earth to blow life into this 498a/406 demon? What I ubderstand

1. Go to high ups in the police that she was not provided justice & despite cognizable offence police never registered a case.

Yes. She can do that.

COUNER- a). she was unable to provide a single proof to the IO at CAW.

CAW is not evidence collecting agency.  Its duty is to reconcile between the warring couples.  If conciliation fails, they can recommend the concerned police station for registering FIR. 

b). She already started with from the higher end (DIG police) with this application which later trickled down & then FILED at ACP level

That ACP will reconsider or ask the incharge of CAW cell (Incharge of the CAW cell is the officer to the rank of ACP) to reconsider the material for registering FIR.

2. Can move to CJM wid 156 (3). I want to know more about this path.

Yes. If her complaint is not registered as FIR, she has got the right to move under Section 156 (3).  There the magistrate will take her evidence on oath (her statement as I have already said in my previous post that it is difficult to provide medical and corraborative evidence in matrimonial matters as these things happen in matrimonial home).  At that stage he has three options:  He may dismiss her complaint.  Or he may direct the police to register FIR and investigate the case or he takes the cognizance of the case and issue warrants to the accused to frame charges.  He may opt one of those options and generally he directs the police to register FIR and investigate the matter and file the report.

a) Natural course of such complaint case.

Explained above.

b) Is the sting (read police harassment etc) out if she takes this course.

If police register FIR, you will have to go for anticipatory bail / bail.

c) Does she have to submit substantial proof to the court to make her complaint bear fruit

No. Prima facie evidence has to be shown.

d) When will be the need of AB actually in this case?

If the magistrate directs the police to register FIR, the need of AB will arise.  If he takes cognizance, regular bail has to be taken before him.

I rest my case here.

Good bye.

Adv. Chandrasekhar (Advocate)     17 August 2011

corrigendum in para c above:

c) Does she have to submit substantial proof to the court to make her complaint bear fruit

No. Prima facie evidence has to be shown.

If the complaint is limited to get a direction to register FIR, then prima-facie evidence is enough.  Once charges are framed,  If the charges have to be proved in the trial, then mere prima facie evidence is not enough and the the charges have to be proved beyond reasonable doubt.

rajiv_lodha (zz)     18 August 2011

Thanx a lot Adv Chandu, u have cleared the doubts about legal recourse to the final word.

Ur valuable reply is the need of hour.

Tell me one thing more, she now lives in a city 100 Km from mine, something of the nature of 156 (3) may be cooking at that court without our knowledge. Perhaps(God Forbid)  we will come to know about:-

* Police FIR or

* CJM Court summons, one fine day. If we want to take some timely precaution, what is the advisable course?

Does some 'Cavet' like thing exists in this scene. Advise from the angle of rescuer! What are legal provisions? Or placing some 'contact' at concerned PS or such complaint should be traced at courts records regularly?

rajiv_lodha (zz)     30 August 2011

some help will be most welcome!

Adv. Chandrasekhar (Advocate)     30 August 2011

Caveat is not applicablein criminal matters.

Anticipatory bail is the safety measure if both the places (place where wife supposed to file complaint and the place where husband resides) fall within the State.

If arrangement can be made, it is always advantageous to have a person at the concerned police station / concerned MM court, to find out the latest position.


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