Section 489-A of Indian Penal Code is a law that is dreaded by the cruel husbands. A simple complaint by the battered wife to the police under this law will ensure -not just the husband, but every one who connived with him- be it his parents,sisters, brothers and others- to go to jail at least for a few days. But the check here so far was that the tortured wife normally quits her marital home and seek refuge in her parental home. Under criminal law regarding where to file the complaint, it is always the place where the offence occurred. So, the wife had to take the pain of going to the police station situated in her marital home to lodge the complaint.
NOT ANY MORE! In a recent ruling, the Supreme court of India has declared that the haunting memories of her marital home continued with her in her place of stay and in that sense, the offence is deemed to have been committed in her place of stay. So, from now onwards, the police in her place of stay ,cannot refuse to register her complaint and ask her to go to police in her marital home area.
