Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty
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Summary
Husband or his relatives who subject a woman to cruelty can be punished with up to three years imprisonment and a fine. Cruelty covers willful acts likely to drive her to suicide or cause grave injury or danger to life, limb or mental or physical health. It also covers harassment to coerce her or her relatives to meet unlawful demands for property or valuables.
Example
Priya files an FIR saying her husband and his brother kept threatening and pressuring her for money after she could not pay. Their harassment aimed to force an unlawful property demand and caused her severe mental distress. They can be charged and, on conviction, punished with up to three years imprisonment and a fine.
Bare Act
Enacted textWhoever, being the husband or the relative of the husband of a woman, subjects such woman to cruelty shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine.
Explanations
(1) For the purposes of this section, “cruelty” means:
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(a) any willful conduct which is of such a nature as is likely to drive the woman to commit suicide or to cause grave injury or danger to life, limb or health (whether mental or physical) of the woman; or
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(b) harassment of the woman where such harassment is with a view to coercing her or any person related to her to meet any unlawful demand for any property or valuable security or is on account of failure by her or any person related to her to meet such demand.
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