CASE COMMENT ON RAJESH SHARMA & ORS. VS STATE OF  U.P. & ANR

AUTHOR – VEDANTI BHUSHAN HATE, STUDENT AT M.K.E.S COLLEGE OF LAW, MUMBAI UNIVERSITY

BEST CITATION – VEDANTI BHUSHAN HATE, CASE COMMENT ON RAJESH SHARMA & ORS. VS STATE OF  U.P. & ANR, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (2) OF 2025, PG. 16-18, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

This article is published in the collaborated special issue of M.K.E.S. College of Law and the Institute of Legal Education (ILE), titled “Current Trends in Indian Legal Frameworks: A Special Edition” (ISBN: 978-81-968842-8-4).

INTRODUCTION

The Supreme Court of India, in the case of Rajesh Sharma & Ors. vs. State of U.P. & Anr., addressed the important issues related to the misuse of Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Section 498A of the Indian penal code was introduced in 1983 to  protect women from cruelty in marriages, particularly related to dowry demands, by their husband or in-laws. It made cruelty a punishable offence that is cognizable, non-compoundable, and non bailable However, over the time, it was observed that it was often misused, leading to innocent family members being wrongly accused. This led to wrongful arrest and unnecessary legal dispute. This case not only highlighted the issue but also provided protection for women’s rights, preventing false accusations and wrongful punishment and arrest of innocent people. The Supreme Court issued guidelines by framing rules to avoid unjust arrests and ensure fair treatment for all. These guidelines would help to stop the misuse of law and will ensure that genuine cases are treated properly.