Supreme Court Says Married Women Misusing Cruelty Law Amid Calls For Justice For Bengaluru Techie

Amid outrage over the death by suicide of a Bengaluru-based techie due to alleged harassment by his wife and in-laws, the Supreme Court, hearing a separate case, has warned against the misuse of the cruelty law in marital dispute cases lodged by women against their husbands.

The Supreme Court of India (Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

The cruelty law cannot be used as a “personal tool to unleash vendetta,” the court observed. Section 86 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the new penal code, protects women from cruelty by their husbands and in-laws.

Under this law, those found guilty can be imprisoned for three years or more, and be liable for a fine.