Vasantha Rao Hemanth Kumar, v. The State Of Andhra Pradesh,

THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE NOOTY RAMAMOHANA RAO CRIMINAL PETITION No.521 OF 2013 O R D E R:

This petition has been moved seeking quashing of D.V.C.No.22 of 2012 pending on the file of the Junior Civil Judge, Huzurnagar, filed by the 2nd respondent, wife of the 1st petitioner herein. The 2nd respondent wife filed the petition before the Protection Officer. It is stated that at the time of marriage, the parents of the 2nd respondent have paid Rs.200 lak cash, 15 Tulas of gold as dowry apart from incurring marriage expenses of Rs.1-50 lac. However, the petitioners herein are now insulting the complainant for not bringing adequate dowry. It is further stated that agricultural land of Ac.2-30 cents, which is a 'Stree Dhana' property of the 2nd respondent is also sought to be disposed of. Since, the petitioners herein are indulging in other verbal and emotional abuse and also not providing her adequate money for maintenance, she lodged the complaint.

The contents of the complaint make out and constitute domestic violence, as defined in Section 3 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005. The expression 'verbal and emotional abuse' has been explained in Section 3 of the said Act as including any insults, ridicule, humiliation. Hence, the complaint lodged by the 2nd respondent has made out a prima facie case. I do not, therefore, see any justification for quashing the same and accordingly, this Criminal Petition is dismissed. ----------------------------------------- NOOTY RAMAMOHANA RAO, J 15th June 2015 mrk