Karnataka High Court Quashes Charges Against Husband’s Mother and Sister

The Karnataka High Court quashed a chargesheet against a husband, his mother and his sister in a case involving his wife’s allegations of cruelty, dowry harassment and forced abortion. The court said relatives should not be drawn into marital disputes without specific evidence of their involvement. The three had asked the court to cancel the chargesheet filed against them. Justice M. Nagaprasanna’s bench said allegations of criminal cruelty in marital disputes must describe specific acts, and the chargesheet must support them. It found no evidence for the wife’s specific allegations against the family members. The bench said continuing the trial could itself punish the accused and warned against naming relatives solely because of their relationship to the husband.