Laws are for the welfare of women, not to extort extra money from husbands; Supreme Court’s big decision
The Supreme Court of India on Thursday said that the strict provisions of the law are for the welfare of women and not to ‘punish, threaten, dominate or extort money from their husbands’. Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Pankaj Mithal said that Hindu marriage is a sacred custom, which is the foundation of the family, and not a commercial agreement.
SC Rebuke Many Times
The bench said that the apex court has reprimanded on several occasions for applying several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rape, criminal intimidation and cruelty to a married woman, in most complaints related to matrimonial disputes.
The bench said that Women need to be careful that these strict provisions of the law in their hands are for their welfare, and not as a means to punish, threaten, dominate or extort money from their husbands at any cost.’
SC Says On Divorce Cases
The bench made this remark while ending the marriage of a couple living separately, saying that the relationship has completely broken down. The bench said, ‘The provisions of criminal law are for the protection and empowerment of women but sometimes some women use them for purposes for which they are never meant.’
Money Deposit Order in Separation Case
And this relation is not meant to be just a relation this is life long bond in which we give and take help of each other in different situation of life. In this case, the husband was ordered to pay Rupees 12 crore as permanent alimony to his estranged wife within a month as a full and final settlement of all her claims.
Court Decision in Divorce Cases
The court’s decision was regarding a couple who got married in July 2021. In this, the husband, who works as an IT consultant in the US, had sought divorce citing to completely end the marriage. Here, the wife opposed the divorce and sought alimony equal to the amount of Rupees 500 crore received by the husband’s first wife.
SC Comments On Divorce Case
The bench, however, commented on cases where the wife and her family use the criminal complaint for these serious crimes as a platform for negotiation and as a tool to meet their demands from the husband and his family.
Supreme Court Comments on Police in Separation Case
The top court said the police sometimes rush to act in selective cases and arrest the husband or even his relatives, including aged and bed-ridden parents and grandparents. The bench said even subordinate courts refrain from granting bail to the accused due to the “gravity of the offense” in the FIR produced.