The court delivered the verdict on Thursday after quashing the proceedings against the petitioner, who was the live-in partner of the complainant woman.

“Thus, it appears that to attract the offense punishable under Section 498 of the IPC, the most essential ingredient is to subject a woman to cruelty by her husband or relatives/relatives of the husband. The term 'husband@pati' means a married man, a woman's partner in marriage. Thus, marriage is the component that elevates the woman's partner to the status of her husband. In the eyes of law, marriage means marriage. Thus, without legal marriage, if a man becomes the partner of a woman, he will not fall within the scope of the term 'husband' for the purpose of Section 498 of the IPC,'' the court ruled.

The allegation was that the petitioner mentally and physically harassed the woman from March 2023 to August 2023, when they were in a live-in relationship.

The court further explained that to attract the offense under Section 498A, the offense of cruelty must be committed by the husband or the husband's relatives.

It states that a man, who was the partner of a woman without legal marriage, cannot be prosecuted under Section 498A.