In Brief
A wife filed criminal complaints against her in-laws—including her mother-in-law's sister (Geddam Jhansi) and her son (Geddam Sathyakama Jabali)—alleging dowry harassment, cruelty, and domestic violence. The High Court refused to quash these proceedings. The Supreme Court allowed the appellants' challenge, holding that the allegations against them were vague and generalised, lacking specific criminal acts. The evidence consisted only of the complainant's sweeping statements and hearsay accounts from panchayat elders who did not personally witness incidents. The Court held that in domestic violence cases, courts must require specific allegations against each accused, not indiscriminate dragging of family members into criminal proceedings. The proceedings against the two appellants were quashed as constituting no prima facie case and abuse of process.
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