In Brief
The Supreme Court examined petitions seeking directions to create uniform systems for handling Section 498-A IPC (cruelty against married women) complaints and to implement guidelines from the Rajesh Sharma case. The Court held that while Section 498-A is a cognizable and non-bailable offence protecting vulnerable women, the directions creating Family Welfare Committees to screen complaints before arrest are impermissible as they exceed the Code. The Court reaffirmed that arrests must satisfy conditions in Section 41 CrPC and directed rigorous training of investigating officers. The Court modified Rajesh Sharma's directions, allowing settlements to be addressed through High Court proceedings under Section 482 CrPC while maintaining protective measures for bail applications in matrimonial cases.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.