Ranit Kr. Singh , New Delhi - The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that in matrimonial disputes, relatives of the husband cannot be fastened with criminal liability merely for failing to intervene or advising the wife to adjust, provided there is no evidence of active complicity. A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and N Kotiswar Singh set aside dowry harassment and domestic violence proceedings against four family members from Guna, Madhya Pradesh. The court emphasized that while safeguarding victims remains paramount, the rigours of criminal law cannot be indiscriminately extended to every family member without a clear, specific, and distinct factual foundation.

The ruling came after a mother-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and his wife appealed a November 2024 Madhya Pradesh High Court order that had sustained the charges against them. In this case, the marriage took place in 2019, and the wife filed the FIR in 2023. The apex court noted that the entire allegation of dowry harassment was directed against the husband, with no specific overt acts individually attributable to the appellants across the FIR, domestic violence complaint, or family court pleadings.

Warning against criminal law becoming an instrument for venting personal grievances, the bench advised trial courts to exercise a "heightened degree of caution" to prevent the sweeping implication of relatives due to matrimonial acrimony. In conclusion, the court clarified that its observations do not grant absolute immunity, noting that relatives remains liable if evidence discloses direct involvement, and left it open for the trial court to summon the appellants if evidence against them emerges during the trial.