A Study Of Misuse Of Section 498A Of IPC, 1860

“By misuse of the provision (498A IPC), a new legal terrorism can be unleashed”. - Sushil Kumar Sharma v. UOI¹ 

Marriage is a union of two noble souls, it is a commitment for life between two partners. But  the worse thing happens when this bond breaks, relationship breaks apart. Is man solely  responsible for that? Are his family members solely responsible or are at fault? Is dowry or  Domestic violence the only reason for that? Certainly ‘No’. 

A state of dowry deaths hit India’s conscience in the year 1980.Women activists pushed the  government to enact a stringent law on dowry and domestic violence. Amendment was  brought in 1983 criminalizing physical or mental cruelty caused to a married woman by her  husband or relatives. The basic purpose with which it was enacted was that there were lot of  dowry deaths, demands for dowry by husband and in-laws and as a result women were tortured, thrown out of house. A provision like that was the need of the hour in order to  safeguard the women in order to protect the women from cruelty on account of dowry.  

Section 498A²of IPC defines, cruelty by husband cruelty by husband and his relatives against women as:- 

a) As wilful conduct which drives a women to commit suicide or to cause danger to her life,  limb and or health whether mental or physical  

b) It also criminalizes harassment of women on account of unlawful demand or dowry. 

S. 498A is one of the most stringent provision under criminal jurisprudence. The offence of cruelty is: 

a) Cognizable, where police officer is bound to register an FIR, can investigate a case and  arrest without warrant 

b) Non- bailable, bail can be granted only by order of court 

c) Non–compoundable, case once registered cannot be compromised or withdrawn 

In simple terms what this section allows is allows immediate arrest and jailing of a  woman’s spouse and her in-laws in the case of harassment or cruelty. All it does is it gives  

¹(2005) 6 SCC 281 

² The Indian Penal Code,1860

power of arrest to the police only on the demand of wife, without any investigating taking  place without any evidence produced. 

Under the Act the word ‘Relative’ is not clearly defined. Even small children have not been  spared. 7,594 children were arrested under S.498A as per National crime Research Bureau  1998-2014. Any number of relatives can be named in the FIR. During investigation it has  been found that many names have been unnecessarily added which later are taken down. 

In 498A cases most of the witness named in the charge sheet are girls own family members.  Has police ever made an effort to collect evidence from in- laws place? This shows  investigation is one sided only which is against the foremost principles of law where one  party is unheard. 

As per the data of National Crime Research Bureau ³one can observe that “Conviction Rate” has drastically fallen down from 21.9% in 2006 to 13% in 2018. Conviction rate is drastically falling over the years. Conviction under 498A constituted about quarter of convictions of all  IPC crimes.  

Even Justice SN Dhingra, Former High Court Judge said in an interview, “The provisions  have not only been misused by grossly misused on the advice of counsels/ advocates.  Advocates think that they are helping their client to get justice but actually results into  injustice to the society and to the system as well.” 

In S.498A cases there is no time bound procedure to dispose of the matter. The case can even  go long for 10-20 years. More the time, more you lose years of your life. So in order to  reduce time for litigations settlements is reached.  

³ National Crime Research Bureau, 66^th Edition on Crimes in India 2018 (Ministry of Home Affairs)

It is regularly seen that in 498A cases there is demand for money by the girl at every stage to  settle the matter. Firstly at before filing of FIR, then after filing of FIR, then at each level of  judiciary. It is repeatedly seen that most of the cases end up in compromise. At the time of  settlement lump sum money is taken. Lump sum money includes all rituals expenses,  expenses on marriage etc. and both the parties each a settlement, all these cases are then  compromised and withdrawn and cruelty goes once money is given. 

It is seen that S.498A being a non- compoundable offence and a crime against state, a case is  usually quashed by the court if the couple reaches a settlement. This is how law is in India.  This is how process of law works in India? 

Even if let’s presume one is able to prove his innocence what will a man get? Any  compensation or costs? The answer is ‘No’. What about all the harassments, agony, pain, torture process of court which he faced and his years of life which passed? The only option  he is left is to file a false prosecution case in the court after his acquittal but he resists to file  it, because one don’t know how much time it will take. 

The Judicial trends highlighting the rampant misuse of S.498A:- 

Judicial comments have been made on S.498A in the last two decades. In Savitri Devi v  Ramesh Chand & Ors⁴, Justice J.D. Kapoor said the misuse of provision of S.498A was  hitting to an extent that it was absolutely touching at the inspiration of marriage and asked if  it wasn’t a social catastrophy. In Saritha v R. Ramachandra⁵, the Supreme Court asked Law  Commission and the Parliament to make S.498A non-cognizable and bailable.  

In the case of Preeti Gupta vs State of Jharkhand⁶, Justice Dalveer Bhandari said that large  numbers of frivolous cases were being filed in the court with oblique motive. It was causing  social unrest among the people thereby affecting peace, harmony and happiness in the  society. A proper relook of the provision was needed. In the case of Sushil Kumar vs UOI⁷, it  was said that, “The provision is to be used and a shield and not an assassin's weapon”.  

Dr. Justice V.S Malimath in 243rd report on “Reform of Criminal Justice System, 2003” recommended to make S. 498A bailable and compoundable offence to give a chance to  

⁴ILR (2003) I Delhi 484 

⁵(2003) DMC 37 (DB) 

⁶(2010) 7 SCC 667 

⁷(2005) 6 SCC 281

spouses to come together. The Law Commission commented that the police must use its  power to arrest in ‘cognizable cases’ cautiously and acting within the provisions of Sections 41 and 41-A CRPC rather than making unnecessary arbitrary arrests.  

Reforms Required  

The legislature has the utmost responsibility to enact laws which are rational, which must  protect the weaker section of the society and provide upliftment ensuring that it does not  negatively cause harm or neglect the other section who are equally susceptible to the same  harms and offences. As per my opinion S.498A should be modified rather than repelled.  Repelling is not a solution. Given below are some recommendations which can be made in  the section:- 

1. Gender neutral: It should be made gender neutral. Cruelty by husband should be replaced  by “either of spouse” should be made punishable and a strong special misuse clause for  punishment. Also a provision of punishment in frivolous cases being filed must be added in  the section itself so that women deter before filing false cases. 

2. Bailable and Compoundable: In section 498A the word ‘non-bailable’ should be replaced  by ‘bailable’ and non-compoundable with compoundable 

3. Time bound investigation and disposal of cases: A speedy trial of 498A cases won't not  only provide innocent husbands justice for their innocence who are implicated in false  charges but also time bound redressal of the cases. 

4. Pre-investigation before arrest: Pre investigation is essential before making arrests. It has  been observed that arbitrary arrests have been made without investigating the case and solely  on the complaint by wife where the husband as well as his entire family lands up in jail. 

Thus the following are the needs of today’s society which must be addressed by the  legislature, judiciary and executive. Amendments in S.498A is the need of the hour which  must be brought as soon as possible to protect the innocent husbands who suffer pain, agony due to frivolous cases files by their wives.