Overview

• The Nagpur bench formally quashed the December 2023 dowry harassment FIR against the husband Akshay and his relatives after they secured a mutual-consent divorce.
• Justices Nitin Sambre and M M Nerlikar cautioned that trivial conflicts can erode Hindu marriages regarded as spiritual unions.
• The court invoked its power under Article 21 to support ending non-compoundable matrimonial offences when parties reach genuine settlements.
• Judges highlighted an uptick in FIRs naming multiple in-laws in dowry disputes and called for early judicial intervention to prevent misuse of proceedings.
• The bench also noted frequent abuse of protective statutes like the Domestic Violence Act and urged a focus on respectful out-of-court resolutions.