Here's the scoop: A court case involving allegations of harassment and cruelty in a marriage has been partially settled. The court decided to keep the charges against the husband but dropped them for the in-laws.
The case involves three people: Varikuppala Naga Raju, his mother Varikuppala Padma, and his father Varikuppala Mysaiah. They were accused of harassment under Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) by Varikuppala Sunitha, Naga Raju's wife.
Sunitha married Naga Raju on February 13, 2021. She claimed that after moving into her husband's home, he began to harass her, accusing her of cheating on him and denying that their child was his. Despite these issues, she gave birth to a daughter on August 30, 2022.
"He began harassing her both physically and mentally, accusing her of cheating on him and denying that their child was his."
The petitioners' lawyer argued that the allegations didn't fit the description of "cruelty" under Section 498-A IPC. They said there was no demand for dowry or any behavior that would cause serious harm or make Sunitha want to harm herself.
The lawyer also pointed out that the case seemed to be a response to a legal notice asking for a mutual divorce.
Justice N. Tukaramji, who was handling the case, found enough evidence to continue the charges against Naga Raju. The court noted that his behavior could be seen as mental cruelty.
"Persistent and willful behavior on the part of a husband that involves unfounded suspicion of his wife’s fidelity may constitute mental cruelty."
However, the court found no specific evidence against the in-laws, Padma and Mysaiah. Their involvement was limited to taking Sunitha back home and promising better treatment.
The court dropped the proceedings against the in-laws but decided that the allegations against Naga Raju should go to trial. This means the case will continue against him, but his parents are not involved anymore.
