
NEW DELHI: The high court recently emphasised the principle that gender cannot dictate leniency in cases of domestic violence, asserting that men, too, can be victims of cruelty in marital relationships. The observation came while rejecting the anticipatory bail plea of a woman accused of inflicting grievous injuries on her husband.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma remarked, “The notion that only women suffer physical or mental cruelty in marital relationships may be contrary to the hard realities of life in many cases.” The Court reaffirmed that both men and women are entitled to equal safeguards under the law and that creating a special class of leniency for women would undermine the foundational principles of justice.
The case involved allegations against a woman who reportedly poured boiling water mixed with chili powder on her husband while he was asleep. The husband, in his complaint, stated that his wife locked him in the room and fled with his mobile phone, leaving him and their three-month-old daughter stranded.
Rejecting the accused’s plea for leniency on the grounds of being a woman, the Court stated, “Crimes involving life-threatening bodily injuries must be dealt with firmly, irrespective of the perpetrator’s gender.” It further observed that gender-based bias in judicial decisions would erode the essence of justice.
The husband, in his complaint, alleged a history of coercion and deceit, including being forced into marriage under the threat of a false rape case.