Indian Penal Code, 1860, Section 498A -- Cruelty - Assaulting wife in connection with dowry demands is not a mere domestic dispute but a serious offence rooted in greed, coercion and gender based violence - When a woman is physically harmed because she or her family cannot meet unlawful dowry demands, it reflects deliberate and oppressive misuse of power within matrimonial..........
Indian Penal Code, 1860, Section 498A -- Cruelty - Version of wife is natural, cogent and inspires confidence in the mind of Court - Petitioner subjected her to cruelty which is proved on record - Slight discrepancies in her evidence while narrating dates of incident cannot be considered fatal to prosecution case, as she is a rustic village woman - Conviction upheld -..........
Indian Penal Code, 1860, Section 306 -- Abetment of suicide - Absence of any suicide note implicating appellant, though not decisive by itself, assumes significance where evidence is otherwise general in nature...........
Indian Penal Code, 1860, Section 306 -- Abetment of suicide - Matrimonial discord - Suspicion and quarrels though unfortunate are not uncommon in marital life - Criminal liability u/s 306 IPC cannot be fastened merely because relationship between spouses was strained or because accused harboured doubts about character of deceased...........
Indian Penal Code, 1860, Section 306 -- Abetment of suicide - Allegation that appellant used to suspect character of his wife and allegedly subjected her to mental harassment on that basis - Suspicion, however strong cannot take place of proof - Witnesses have deposed about suspicion and strained relations but have not attributed any specific overt act of instigation,..........
Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, Section 138, 148, Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, Section 220 -- Dishonour of multiple cheques - Single complaint - Whether maintainable - Single complaint relating to dishonour of multiple cheques issued by accused in one series of acts so connected together as to form same transaction, is maintainable in view of S.220 Cr.P.C...........
Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, Section 138, 148 -- Dishonour of cheque - Appeal against conviction - Order to deposit 20% of compensation amount - Petitioner has placed on record material indicating circumstances beyond his control which ex facie render him unable to deposit 20% of compensation amount, particularly in view of his advanced age and medical condition, duly..........
Indian Penal Code, 1860, Section 494 -- Bigamy - Offence of bigamy can be committed only by a person who having a living spouse, contracts a second marriage during subsistence of first valid marriage...........
Indian Penal Code, 1860, Section 494 -- Bigamy - Provision does not contemplate prosecution of relatives or third parties who are not parties to alleged second marriage...........
Indian Penal Code, 1860, Section 494 -- Bigamy - Petitioner is admittedly elder sister of deceased and not spouse alleged to have contracted second marriage - Therefore, very invocation of S.494 IPC against petitioner is legally misconceived - Proceedings qua petitioner quashed...........
