Malicious Prosecution Quashed: Supreme Court Protects Woman from Vengeful Husband's False Allegations.
14 February 2025
Criminal Appeals & Suspension of Sentence >> Criminal Law | Dowry death >> Criminal Law
In Varsha Devi Alias Varsha Shukla Vs State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors. the Supreme Court intervened in a case where a woman was facing criminal charges of bigamy, filed by her estranged husband. The Court found the complaint to be "venomous, vindictive, and vengeful," a retaliatory move against the wife's dowry harassment and domestic violence complaints.
The husband alleged she had remarried and had a child, but the Court noted significant discrepancies and lack of evidence. Initial police investigations found no supporting evidence from neighbors. Crucially, a Family Court order granting the husband ex-parte divorce had already dismissed the same bigamy claims due to lack of proof. Furthermore, the husband did not raise the bigamy issue in a maintenance case. The wife provided evidence of her continuous employment during the alleged delivery period, further undermining the husband's claims. The Court concluded that the criminal proceedings were malicious and quashed the summons issued against the wife, effectively closing the case.