Scene

Busy courtroom as the court needs to take up more than hundred cases within two hours. Cease work has shortened the day. Court room packed with people. Judge hearing important cases whereas the Public Prosecutor (PP) initiating charge frame or smaller matters.

IPC 498A case – Charge framing day

Husband and his ailing parents accused to cruelty to wife present before the court for framing of charges against them under IPC 498a and IPC 406.

Here is little bit of background information for those who do not understand this term and how criminal cases like IPC 498a are dealt with.

Charge framing is the first step where the prosecution (in these matters it is the state that is prosecution party and wife or complainant is only a witness). The case is registered as State Vs. Husband. The husband needs to pay and have his own lawyer whereas the wife gets free lawyer and state machinery help for fighting the case under women empowerment and women rights. Husband pays a lot to get bail, have good lawyers whereas wife only needs to come on the day when her witness will be taken. Husband and his family members need to be present on each day the case comes up for any process in the court (as these are criminal cases), whereas the wife do not need to be present on any other day except her witness day and the day of pronouncing the verdict.

Story

Everyone busy in their work as people need to complete some processing of their own case and judge was busy signing documents.

PP calls the husband and his family aside. Husband’s lawyer advices the husband and family to say ‘Non Guilty’ when asked.

Background information for people who do not understand this process –

On charge framing day of a criminal case the accused are clearly told the charges against them and asked by the judge (in this PP as the judge was busy) if the accused are guilty. If the accused say they are guilty on the first day there will be no trial and the accused will straightway be punished saving time of the court. The court will not investigate if the allegations are false. So in all such cases the defence needs to say ‘Non guilty’ if they want proper trial of their case.

PP – (tells the charges to the husband and his family and asks) – Are you guilty?

Husband – These are completely baseless allegations against us and this case is filed with ulterior motive to waste court’s valuable time. We want strict punishment for the accuser.

The busy courtroom that was so far abuzz with noise became silent at that instant. As if the husband has hurled a bomb there. Everyone stopped their work and looked at the husband in amazement. Punishment for 498a misuse? Is this guys mad?

Judge looked up at the person to see who said this when he was expected to say only ‘Non guilty’.

Only husband’s lawyer was smiling and nodding his head – he knew ‘a MRA is here’

All men and their families accused in any false case by any woman, demand punishment of the false accuser for misusing the law, abusing our legal system, mental and physical harassment of all accused, wastage of time and other reasons that you can think of.

Say no to ‘Legal Terrorism’ in the name of women empowerment in India. MRA is here.