Delhi High Court rules father-in-law cannot be held liable for son's domestic violence

The Delhi High Court has ruled that a father-in-law cannot be held liable under the Domestic Violence Act for failing to control or prevent his son's violent acts against a daughter-in-law.

The court clarified that liability under domestic violence law applies only to those who actually commit or abet the violence, or actively participate in it. The ruling emphasizes that responsibility cannot be extended to family members merely because they share a household or have a familial relationship with the perpetrator.

This judgment addresses a key question about the scope of criminal liability under India's domestic violence framework and the extent to which relatives can be held accountable for another family member's actions.