New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India refused anticipatory bail to an accused in a domestic violence case and observed that a wife cannot be treated like an animal and has the right to live with dignity. The remarks were made by a bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice PB Varale while hearing a plea filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The accused had earlier failed to secure relief from the Patna High Court.
According to the case, the accused allegedly assaulted his wife while under the influence of alcohol. The complaint states that he pushed her to the ground, hit her head against a brick and later attacked her with a stick. During the hearing, the accused, who is stated to have married three times, argued that the complainant was not his wife.
The bench strongly criticised the conduct alleged in the case and questioned the justification for physically assaulting a woman. The judges advised the accused to seek regular bail instead of anticipatory bail and warned that continued violence against women could destroy personal relationships and family life.
The court also referred to a pattern seen in several domestic violence complaints, where women often tell police that they do not object to their husbands consuming alcohol but object to the violence that follows.
The observations from the Supreme Court come amid continuing concerns over domestic violence cases and the treatment of women within marriages, with the court underlining that dignity and protection from abuse are basic rights guaranteed to every woman.