Husband’s Friend Not a ‘Relative’, Can’t Be Booked Under Section 498A: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court (Nagpur Bench) held that a husband’s friend cannot be prosecuted under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, as he does not qualify as a ‘relative’ by blood, marriage, or adoption.

The woman had accused the friend of instigating her husband to demand dowry and evict her from their matrimonial home.

HC relied on the Supreme Court's recent decision in Dechamma IM v State of Karnataka (2024), where it was held that even a girlfriend or a woman in a romantic relationship with a man cannot be considered a "relative" for the purposes of prosecution under Section 498A. 

The bench held that a friend does not fall within the statutory meaning of ‘relative’ under Section 498A.