Husband's Girlfriend Not A 'Relative' Under Section 498A IPC, Gujarat HC Quashes FIR Alleging Cruelty

The Gujarat High Court quashed an FIR filed under Section 498A IPC against a woman accused of causing cruelty to her alleged boyfriend's wife.

The complainant alleged mental and physical cruelty, claiming the woman abused her and had an affair with her husband.

However, the Court found that the woman, being the husband's girlfriend, did not qualify as a 'relative' under Section 498A, referencing the Supreme Court's 2024 judgment in Dechamma @ Dechamma Kaushik v. State of Karnataka.

The Court ruled that the charges lacked legal basis, leading to the quashing of the FIR.