In Brief
A wife filed a complaint alleging cruelty (Section 498A IPC) and criminal breach of trust (Section 406 IPC) against her husband and father-in-law after they lived together for only 20 days, following which the husband left for Australia. The wife alleged lack of conjugal relations and family coldness; her parents had spent substantial sums on marriage and gifts. The High Court refused to quash proceedings; the Supreme Court examined the statutory definition of cruelty and criminal breach of trust and found neither dowry demand nor harassment nor conduct likely to cause grave injury or danger to life was present. The Court held that mere marital unhappiness does not constitute these offences and quashed the proceedings.
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