Anti-Dowry Law Use or Misuse?

Question

Latest case in this regard is involvement of HRD Union Minister Sh.Arjun Singh in a criminal case filled by the wife of his grand son against her husband & his other family members including the said Minister through her father for demanding dowry from them. Although the local UP police has requested that this case is transferred to CBI to do the investigation & conduct its proceedings in the court. Now when a Union Minister is involved in such a case the government doesn't want to take any risk in its investigation, but what about other cases which concern ordinary citizens in such issues? How the other Union Minster of Women Welfare, Ms. Renuka Choudhry react to this case as she has always be very vocal in implementation of such anti-dowry laws very strictly against the Husband & her family members? The Supreme Court in its various judgments has held that any VIP involved in such anti-dowry matter should not be granted bail as such a VIP may influence the witnesses & investigation?

Will the government now think about taking action against the misuse of anti-dowry laws by many women just for the purpose of blackmailing her husband & his other family members? It happened with one of my client that after he filled a joint petition for divorce along with his wife, got shock of his life when he came to know that his wife filled such a case against him & his family members for dowry demand just few days before the court was to grant this divorce. What you will say about such misuse of these anti-dowry laws?

Only because he happens to be HRA Union Minister this case has been transferred to CBI,just to put the influence on witnesses & interfere in the investigation of this case, the court should make this point very clear to the investigating team & order for the immediate arrest of all the persons named in the complaint so they may not interfere in the process of investigation & justice because of their high standing in the society as has been pointed out by the Supreme Court of India & other High Courts in such dowry related cases.

Answer 1

It appears to be a case of misuse of Anti-Dowry law particularly with regard to implicating sh Arjun Singh and his wife in the whole episode The lady complainant appears to have made an attempt through her father and others probably out of feeling of revenge generated in her to put up a dirty show of extent of revenge she can take by involving her husband's relatives for three generations ie even up to his grand father's level by trying to tarnish the image of his family through his grandfather who is a political stalwart of national level The family of the complainant must have thought that the family of her husband will be better humiliated only by making Sh Arjun Singh also as a party otherwise the case will not get the publicity they wanted it to get and their action of implicating the other side will be without any adverse publicity and required immediate objective of their revenge from husband's family will not be achieved This is really unfortunate and is an example as to how crooked and even well to do people misuse even those laws of the land which even have sentimental attatchment of people and are made to protect weaker sections of society

Answer 2

Anti dowry law is being misused. Criminal cases are filed sometimes to harass other party for spat between the parties for something else. The loopholes in the law is being misued to get advantage of the case. There are no. of cases which were not highlighted by the media. The criminal case against HRD Union Minister, his wife and his grand son should be investigated for. If the facts of the case favourable for punishment under the Anti Dowry Law, they must be punished for their misdeeds. Otherwise, action must be taken against the complainant.

Answer 3

Was Arjun Singh arrested? Is he not also a citizen of India - how is he spared? When most of the other accused are arrested without any questions, how was he not put behind bars? I thought 498A was a non-bailable, non-cognisant law - how is he being protected? Upon this criminal case being slapped a lot of Govt. Employees have lost their jobs - is he loosing his seat of power?

One of the reports I read that he claims that he did not attend the marriage - doesn't it sound to be an immature excuse. What does he mean that by not attending the wedding, he has had no opporutnity to harrass his Grand-DIL?

Either he be arrested with immideate effect and proved innocent and the complainent be punished for disrespecting Indian Laws by misusing them or the Law be amended.

Answer 4

as for as court case and judgement are concerned it is purely depending on the arguement and exposure of the facts alone . unless it is proved by the defense party that it is only an alleged misuse of the prosecution /plaintif the innocent defendants are very much affected for example if the husband/in laws findout the wife is having an illicit relationship then she threatens that she will go to the police/court for dowry harassment and she might have planned well in advance like some two or three such bogus letters already sent to her parents stating that she is dowry harassed and once in a month say two or three letters some few months ago it can be used as a valid witness similarly she may dominate the inlaws and use them as servants and if they oppose it she may take the weapon of anti dowry law and threaten by making such false allibies so it is really pathetic and helpless sinch the affected parties are mere innocent/and really shocked because of such false allegations and are inactive in such cases

Answer 5

It is very unfortunate that our politicians have double standards Why CBI investigation in this case, what is so special about filing of Dowry harassment case against a union minister.
.It is established that a law, which was enacted for the protection of women is being misused by women(wives) to harass other women(mothers in law & sisters in law). Why is Govt not thinking of protecting these women. For one women(wife) five other innocent women (mothers and sisiters in law) are languishing in jails.
Inspite of the apex court expressing concern and anguish on the blatent misuse of the Ant Dowry act/498a IPC and the resultant adverse effect on the institution of marriage, and the innocent children of such failed marriage ,the govt is not taking any action to correct this malady.
Time is ripe that the right thinking people get togather and start a movement to seek amendments to these drocanian laws. I know a large number of young NRIs who are the victims of these laws & are suffering and crying for help to protect thier innocent & helpless parents living in India.

So friends lets get togather and raise voice aginst this blatent injustice being meeted out to husbands and thier parents and extended families.

Answer 6

Anti dowry law is being grossly misused in India by clever ladies is proved beyond question as it was shown on INDIA TV many times in strained marriage relations in Hindu community, not b coz they're Hindus rather b coz such anti religious & unbalanced law exists. I've talked on it earlier too. Entire India court system is badly MAFIAISED as told by a Hindu estate agent neighbour of mine who amassed crores of rupees by misusing loopholes of Indian laws. According to him in India, everyone right from a lawyer of a lower court up to chief justice of supreme court is purchasable & has a definite price. If you are able to pay the price, any judgement of any case can be cleverly (fraudulently) manipulated in your favour. There is no sanctity anywhere. According to him all Indian courts are junks of goondaas & mostly defective laws of land are all humbug. He says that he told this thing on the basis of his vast experience purely as a businessman only. He is an extraordinarily soft spoken man , never uses any hard or abusive words & tells his views without any reservation. I think I have nothing to say further.

Answer 7

There is no doubt about the fact that this law was required at the time of its inception, coz. there were many such cases which left women more vulnerable...Over the period , the ground reality has changed, the socio-economic dynamics have changed too... More & more woman are now working & are financially independent & care two hoots about the dowry & their separation...But they become tools in the hands of people around them who instill in them a feeling of vendetta & revenge to the relationship gone sour, due to reasons other than financial..( or coz. of their dominance coz. of independent status )
So I feel the law needs to be amended again & more thoughts & inputs based on statics to arrive at a solution which charges either of the sexes with cruelty based on evidence, rather than slapping the anti-dowry act merely coz she is a woman.
If they are as equal for the top post & debate on why women are sidelined for imp. portfolio, then they should also be prepared to scrap the act & behave as equal to men wrt their relationships based on facts rather than fire under the guise of the anti-dowry act..

Answer 8

In India laws are for the masses to be observed and followed.Did you not know that
though India is a democracy not all people are equal?There are some chosen people (I don't
mean elected)who are more equal.For these
"more equals" a different set of unwritten laws
apply.Power and pelf play a very important
part in the application of the "unwritten laws"
to the "more equals".The unwritten laws get
more complicated depending on the gravity of the offence and hierarchical status of the
offender.

Answer 9

Laws are made with dual purpose of deterring the potential offender and severely punishing the offender.
Also Laws incorporates some safeguards so that innocents are protected.
All these "safeguards" which are meant to protect the innocent can be misuse by the alleged offender.
Hence, in fact all laws are capable of misuse which is inherent in every law.
It can be misused by the State as well as by the People, as per their needs.

Answer 10

After reading all the above letters I feel we should form a Robinhood type of organisation which takes care of such scoundrels who harass women and brides.
Ther is a limit for any one's patience.The woman in India are really tolerant.See how they are fooled with reservations in parliment seats.
Men are rascals(i am one and feel sorry for my inability).It is high time woman turn violent and liberate themselves from this male dominated society.The best people to come forward are woman lawyers with other men having similar views to protect woman.