Home / Court Updates / High Courts / Madras High Court Criminal Law Cannot Be Set In Motion Against Every Husband’s Relative Merely Due To Matrimonial Discord: Madras High Court Quashes Case U/S 498A IPC Against In-Laws The Court said that “the criminal process must remain a shield for the genuinely aggrieved and not become a sword for collateral vengeance”. ByAgatha Shukla|14 June 2026 10:00 AM Justice L. Victoria Gowri, Madras High Court, Madurai Bench The Madras High Court, Madurai Bench has quashed criminal proceedings under Section 498A IPC against the relatives of a husband, observing that matrimonial disputes cannot become a basis to prosecute every family member without specific allegations of cruelty or overt acts. while partly allowing a petition filed by the accused persons, the Bench held that expressions such as relatives “supported” the husband or caused “mental cruelty” are insufficient to attract criminal liability. The Court observed that criminal prosecution cannot be continued merely on the basis of relationship with the husband. Justice L. Victoria Gowri observed, “The mere use of expressions such as ‘supported him’ or ‘in-laws caused mental cruelty’ cannot by itself constitute an offence under Section 498-A IPC. Criminal prosecution cannot be allowed to proceed on the basis of relationship alone. Therefore, the proceedings under Section 498-A IPC deserve to be quashed insofar as petitioners 2 to 7 and 10 are concerned”. https://www.verdictum.in/madras-high-court/x-v-the-state-of-tamil-nadu-crlopmdno2451-of-2024-every-husbands-relative-merely-due-to-matrimonial-discord-1615868
Home / Court Updates / High Courts / Madras High Court Criminal Law Cannot Be Set In Motion Against Every Husband’s Relative Merely Due To Matrimonial Discord: Madras High Court Quashes Case U/S 498A IPC Against In-Laws The Court said that “the criminal process must remain a shield for the genuinely aggrieved and not become a sword for collateral vengeance”. ByAgatha Shukla|14 June 2026 10:00 AM Justice L. Victoria Gowri, Madras High Court, Madurai Bench The Madras High Court, Madurai Bench has quashed criminal proceedings under Section 498A IPC against the relatives of a husband, observing that matrimonial disputes cannot become a basis to prosecute every family member without specific allegations of cruelty or overt acts. while partly allowing a petition filed by the accused persons, the Bench held that expressions such as relatives “supported” the husband or caused “mental cruelty” are insufficient to attract criminal liability. The Court observed that criminal prosecution cannot be continued merely on the basis of relationship with the husband. Justice L. Victoria Gowri observed, “The mere use of expressions such as ‘supported him’ or ‘in-laws caused mental cruelty’ cannot by itself constitute an offence under Section 498-A IPC. Criminal prosecution cannot be allowed to proceed on the basis of relationship alone. Therefore, the proceedings under Section 498-A IPC deserve to be quashed insofar as petitioners 2 to 7 and 10 are concerned”.
https://www.verdictum.in/madras-high-court/x-v-the-state-of-tamil-nadu-crlopmdno2451-of-2024-every-husbands-relative-merely-due-to-matrimonial-discord-1615868
