NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has ruled that criminal proceedings cannot be initiated based solely on vague and unsubstantiated allegations, quashing the dowry harassment and abuse case filed by the daughter-in-law against a septuagenarian couple in Kanpur.The bench, comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan, noted that the case was filed nearly seven years after the alleged abuse and noted that citizens must be vigilant about their rights and take prompt action, especially in matrimonial disputes.SC: Mere statement on dowry demand not sufficient for criminal prosecutionThe complainant and the prosecution failed to produce any significant evidence or substance to support the allegations in the FIR and charge sheet. Mere statement that the accused/appellants regularly demanded dowry and harassed the complainant for the same is not sufficient to initiate criminal proceedings against them…” the Supreme Court bench said.Responding to a petition filed by the couple and their daughter seeking quashing of the case against them, the apex court further said that the failure of the prosecution to provide sufficient reasons for any delay had cast aspersions on its case.“We find that citizens accused of crimes should not delay their rights but pursue them in real time to achieve the ends of justice – vigilantibus non dormientibus jura subveniunt, which means that the law protects those who are vigilant about their rights”. The Court emphasized that this delay (or lack thereof) is important in matrimonial or criminal cases between spouses because such cases often lack sufficient evidence to prove or disprove the charges due to the personal nature of the charges and the relationship.
