The Delhi High Court has affirmed that men are deserve equal protection from cruelty and violence, just as women are.
Justice Swarana Kanta rejected the anticipatory bail plea of a wife who inflicted burn injuries on her husband by pouring boiling water mixed with chili powder. She had sought leniency on the grounds of her gender.
Emphasizing that empowering one gender should not compromise fairness toward another, the Court stated that it cannot make gender-based distinctions in cases involving physical violence or harm.
The Court emphasized that granting special leniency to one gender in cases involving life-threatening bodily injuries would undermine the core principles of justice.
“This case also sheds light on a broader societal issue. Men subjected to violence by their wives often encounter distinct challenges, including societal skepticism and the stigma attached to being seen as victims,” the Court observed.
The Court further stated: “These stereotypes reinforce the false notion that men cannot experience violence in domestic relationships. Therefore, it is essential for the judiciary to adopt a gender-neutral approach in such cases, ensuring equal treatment for both men and women.”
Dismissing the anticipatory bail plea, the Court highlighted the victim husband’s statement, in which he revealed that the wife had filed a false rape case against him, compelling him to marry her under duress.
The Court noted that, despite the wife’s claim of being tortured and harassed by her husband and his family, she had not filed any complaint against them.
Rejecting the wife’s plea for leniency, the Court emphasized that bodily injuries—whether inflicted on a man or a woman—cannot be judged differently based on gender.
Addressing this argument, the Court remarked: “One must consider, if the roles were reversed, and the husband had poured boiling water mixed with chili powder on his wife while she was asleep, locked her in the room, taken her phone, fled the scene, and left their infant child crying beside her, there would undoubtedly be a call for no leniency toward him. Courts, however, must remain free from hidden or overt biases and ensure impartiality, even when arguments laced with such biases are presented.”
The Court stated that the belief that only women experience physical or mental cruelty in marital relationships, without exception, may not align with the harsh realities of many cases.
It emphasized that cases must be adjudicated based on facts, not stereotypes.