'Vague claims not enough,' Supreme Court says on Kanpur dowry case

Criminal proceedings cannot be initiated on the basis of vague and unsubstantiated allegations, the Supreme Court has held, quashing a dowry harassment and cruelty case filed by a daughter-in-law against a Kanpur-based elderly couple in their seventies.

A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan noted that the complaint was filed nearly seven years after the alleged incidents. The court stressed that individuals must remain vigilant about their rights and act promptly, particularly in matrimonial disputes.

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The apex court observed that neither the complainant nor the prosecution had produced material evidence to substantiate the allegations mentioned in the FIR or the chargesheet. It held that a mere assertion that the accused frequently demanded dowry and harassed the complainant was insufficient to justify criminal proceedings.

Hearing a plea by the couple and their daughter seeking quashing of the case, the court also pointed out that the prosecution failed to provide any convincing explanation for the delay, which weakened its case.

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Emphasising the importance of timely legal action, the court invoked the principle vigilantibus non dormientibus jura subveniunt—the law assists those who are vigilant about their rights. It added that delays in raising such allegations are particularly significant in matrimonial disputes, where the personal nature of claims often makes them difficult to verify due to lack of concrete evidence.

(With inputs from TOI)