Ranchi News: Ranchi. Jharkhand High Court, while giving an important verdict in a case of dowry harassment, has said that to prove the offense under Section 498A, it is not necessary that the amount demanded from the woman should be called dowry.
If a woman is mentally or physically tortured to fulfill an illegal demand for property or money, then this also comes under the purview of cruelty. The court of Justice Pradeep Kumar Srivastava gave this decision on the criminal revision petition of Anita Bhakat of East Singhbhum. The court set aside the appellate court's decision that had acquitted the husband and three in-laws. The High Court has reinstated the conviction verdict of the trial court and directed the three accused to surrender in the concerned court within two months. According to the case, Anita was married to Gaurang Bhakat on 25 June 2008. The allegation was that after some time of marriage, the husband demanded Anita to bring one lakh rupees from her maternal home in the name of purchasing a hauler machine for the rice business.
When his demands were not met, he was physically and mentally tortured. All three accused including the husband have been directed to surrender in the trial court within two months and receive punishment. Failure to do so has directed the trial court to take legal action to arrest him and send him to jail.