The number of false cases under Section 498A has increased over the past few years - 10,193

in 2011,
10,235 in 2012 and 10,864 in 2013.

Similarly, a total of 1,207 cases of insult to the modesty of women (Section 509 of the IPC) were found
untrue after a police investigation.

Smt. Puttalakashim

Vs

State of Karnataka

The proceedings against the petitioner are nothing but the abuse of the process of the Court and their
continuation against the petitioner amounts to failure of ends of justice,”

As many as 31,292 cases of alleged cruelty by husbands and in-laws, filed by women under Section 498A
of the IPC between 2011 and 2013, were found false or mistake of fact or law after a police
investigation, said minister of state for home affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary in the Lok Sabha in
March 2015.

Supreme Court in Rajesh Sharma case had issued directions to prevent purported misuse of Section
498A. The core issue that arose in the appeal related to the need to check the alleged tendency of
woman filing complaint under Section 498A to rope in all family members in settlement of matrimonial
dispute.

The Court in the case had further directed that no arrest in the matter shall be made unless the
Committee’s report is received