MARUVADA LAKSHMI Vs. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard learned counsel appearing for the petitioners. Also heard learned Assistant Public Prosecutor for the 1st respondent and learned counsel representing the 2nd respondent.

(2.) The present Criminal Petition is filed seeking to quash the proceedings in C.C.No.4477 of 2019 on the file of the Court of I Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Visakhapatnam, wherein the petitioners are arrayed as accused Nos.3 and 4.

(3.) The petitioners are facing trial for the alleged offences punishable under Ss. 498-A, 354-A(2), 509 of Indian Penal Code (for short 'IPC') and Ss. 3 and 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act. The 1st petitioner herein/accused No.3 is the mother of accused No.1 and wife of accused No.2. The 2nd petitioner herein/accused No.4 is the sister of accused No.1. The 2nd respondent herein lodged a complaint against her husband/accused No.1, his father in law/accused No.2 and the petitioners herein, wherein it was stated that her marriage was performed with accused No.1 on 1/7/2018 at Hotel Green Park, Visakhapatnam and at the time of marriage, Rs.20,00,000.00 was given along with gold worth Rs.20.00 Lakhs apart from silver and gold articles. It was alleged that she stayed with her husband/A1 for few days at Hyderabad and later set up their marital home at Bangalore and during their stay at Bangalore, she was subjected to cruelty both mentally and physically for additional dowry etc., and that her father-in-law used to behave inappropriately with her. It was further alleged that the petitioners herein used to ask the 2nd respondent to do all the household chores and blame that she is not capable of doing properly even before the task is completed and hurl abuses touching 2nd respondent's sentiments and curse her parents for no reason, that the accused used to abuse her in un-parliamentary language and raise demand for additional dowry and unceremoniously necked her out. The police after investigation filed a Charge Sheet against the accused including the petitioners herein, the cognizance of which was taken by the learned Magistrate in the proceedings under challenge.