Father-in-law Gave Dowry Without Asking, Groom Filed Unique Case Against In-laws

Summary
In Delhi, a groom filed a petition in court accusing his in-laws of giving dowry without asking. However, the court dismissed his petition. The groom claimed that his in-laws transferred money into his account.

Dowry has been a longstanding issue in Indian society, with continuous efforts to control it, though it still persists. In many cases, the bride’s family faces accusations of giving dowry, but an unusual case has emerged in Delhi, where the groom took his in-laws to court, accusing them of giving dowry without his request. Despite his efforts, the court rejected his petition, and when he appealed against the decision, he was ultimately denied.

The Case Began in 2022
This case began in July 2022 when the groom filed a petition in the Magistrate Court, accusing his mother-in-law, father-in-law, and brother-in-law of giving dowry and demanding criminal action. However, the court dismissed the petition due to a lack of sufficient evidence. The groom then took the matter to the additional sessions court, but failed to provide the necessary documents there as well.

Court's Decision
During the hearings, it was revealed that the bride’s family had filed a harassment case against the groom. The court stated that the issue of whether dowry was demanded could only be decided based on proper evidence. The groom stated that he never asked for dowry from his wife’s family and that they had transferred money into his account voluntarily. The first time it was 25,000 rupees, and the second time 46,500 rupees. The court considered this as the groom’s personal viewpoint.

Complaint Filed by Wife’s Family
In the order passed on October 5, Justice Budhiraj stated that the bride’s family had already filed a complaint against the groom. The case was filed under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with dowry harassment. The Magistrate Court had already accepted that the in-laws had given dowry to the groom. The court noted that accepting dowry is punishable under the Dowry Prohibition Act.

Dowry Prohibition Act
The Dowry Prohibition Act has been in effect in India since May 1, 1961, and both giving and receiving dowry are considered criminal offenses under this law.