Husband's girlfriend cannot be accused of cruelty to wife under BNS: Karnataka HC

The Karnataka High Court has ruled that a husband's girlfriend cannot be prosecuted for cruelty against his wife under Section 85 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The court quashed criminal proceedings against the woman, who had been accused by the wife of subjecting her to cruelty. The judgment clarifies the scope of Section 85 of the BNS, which pertains to cruelty offences within specific legal relationships.

The ruling sets a precedent regarding who can be held criminally liable under cruelty provisions, limiting liability to those in defined relationships under the statute.