Created by Fuzzy Cloud

Allahabad High Court

SMT. NEELAM @ ANSHU AND 4 OTHERSversusSTATE OF U.P. AND ANOTHER

Decided

Holding

The Court quashed the summoning order against the family members (applicants 2‑5) due to lack of specific allegations, but dismissed the application as to the wife (applicant 1) and ordered the trial court to continue proceedings against her.

Summary

A complaint dated 01‑12‑2021 was filed by Naresh Kumar (the husband) against his wife Neelam @ Anshu and her family members under Sections 420, 406, 504 and 506 IPC alleging theft of jewellery and marital discord. The applicants filed a petition under Section 482 CrPC seeking to quash the summoning order dated 17‑12‑2022 issued by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Khurja. The Court observed that the allegations against the family members (applicants 2‑5) were vague, omnibus and not specifically pleaded, and that the complaint appeared to be a retaliatory suit following an FIR lodged by the wife under Sections 498A, 323, 354(Kha), 504, 506 IPC and the Dowry Prohibition Act. Consequently, the Court allowed the petition in respect of applicants 2‑5, quashing the summons against them, while dismissing the petition as to applicant 1 and directing the trial court to proceed against her. The interim order was vacated and the order was to be communicated to the trial court within two weeks.

Issues considered

  • Whether the complaint under Section 406 IPC is maintainable against the family members of the wife in the absence of specific allegations.
  • Whether the application under Section 482 CrPC for quashing the summoning order is maintainable.
  • Whether the trial court should be directed to proceed against the wife (applicant 1) despite the quash of summons against other family members.

Legislation cited

Subjects

  • CrPC 482
  • IPC 406
  • Matrimonial dispute
  • Quash of summons
  • False implication
  • Family members
  • Dowry Prohibition Act

Judgment

           HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
                     APPLICATION U/S 482 No. - 6343 of 2023

Smt. Neelam @ Anshu And 4 Others
                                                                       .....Applicant(s)
                                         Versus

State of U.P. and Another
                                                                           .....Opposite
                                                                                 Party(s)

Counsel for Applicant(s)                     :    Upendra Kumar Pushkar
Counsel for Opposite Party(s)                :    Daya Shanker Pandey, G.A.

Court No. - 75
                          HON'BLE SAMIT GOPAL, J.

1. Heard Sri Lal Bahadur, Advocate holding brief of Sri Upendra Kumar
Pushkar, learned counsel for the applicants, Sri Ram Prakash Shukla,
learned counsel for the State/Opposite Party No.1 and perused the
records.

2. Sri Daya Shanker Pandey, learned counsel for the opposite party no.2 is
not present even when the matter has been taken up in the revised call.

3. Records show that previously when the matter was listed on
15.09.2025, the opposite party no.2 was not represented and the Court had
ordered that the matter be proceeded exparte. The order passed therein
reads as under:-

"List has been revised. No one appears on behalf of opposite party no.2.

The opposite party no.2 is proceeded ex-parte.

List on 10th December, 2025.

Interim order granted earlier shall remain in currency, till the next date of listing."

4. The records do not show filing of any counter affidavit by the opposite
party no.2.

5. Learned counsel for the State submits that the present case is a
complaint case and he does not propose to file any counter affidavit. The
                                                        A482 No. 6343 of 2023
                               2


Court, thus, proceeds to hear the matter.

6. The facts of the case are that a complaint dated 01.12.2021 was filed by
the Naresh Kumar- opposite party no.2 against the applicants, Smt.
Neelam @ Anshu/applicant no.1, Khajan Singh/applicant no.2, Smt.
Rekha Devi/applicant no.3, Ravi/ applicant no.4 and Bhura/ applicant
no.5 before the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Khurja
(Bulandshahar) for offences under Sections 420, 406, 504, 506 IPC,
Police Station Khurja Dehat, District Bulandshahar alleging therein that
he was married to Neelam @ Anshu on 29.04.2013. The marriage was
without any gift and dowry. After some days of marriage, their used to be
fights between them and his wife used to go back to her maternal house
and returned back after many days and then stated that she does not want
to live with the complainant. Due to the cruel temperament of Neelam,
father of the complainant used to live in tension and subsequently on
09.01.2021 he died. Subsequently, Neelam used to go from the house
without informing anyone, which was an indication that she does not want
to live with him as his wife. The complainant and his mother had given
ancestral jewelry to Neelam to keep with her. When the complainant
asked her to return it, she demanded Rs. 50,000/- and stated that she
would only return it when he gives her freedom from the marriage and
also gives money for it. On 12.10.2021 Neelam called her maternal house
on phone and called her family members, who arrived there and then at
about 3:00 PM, she with the help of the family member took away
ancestral jewelry valued about 1 lacs, cash money Rs. 50,000/- and went
to her maternal house. When she was about to go, the complainant made
all efforts to stop her but she went away against his wishes. On
27.10.2021 and 5.11.2021, the complainant went to Neelam to bring her
back, where her family members ill-treated him and she refused going
back. He then tried to lodge a report at the police station on 5.11.2021
which has not been registered till date. He then moved an application on
20.11.2021 before the S.S.P., Bulandshahar but no action was taken, thus,
the complaint is being filed. In support of the complaint, statement of the
complainant Naresh Kumar was recorded under Section 200 Cr.P.C. and
that of his witnesses namely Smt. Saroj Devi was recorded as PW-1 under
Section 202 Cr.P.C. and of Anil Kumar (the neighbor of the complainant)
                                                                   A482 No. 6343 of 2023
                                     3


was recorded as PW-2 under Section 202 Cr.P.C. The trial court
concerned then vide order dated 17.12.2022 passed by the Additional
Chief Judicial Magistrate, Khurja, Bulandshahar summoned the
applicants as accused for offence under Section 406 IPC. The present
Application U/s 482 Cr.P.C. has, thus, been filed before this Court.

7. The records show that on 22.03.2023, following order was passed by
the coordinate Bench of this Court:-

"Heard learned counsel for the applicants and learned AGA for the State.

The present application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. has been filed with the prayer to
quash the summoning order dated 17.12.2022 passed in Complaint Case No. 1074 of
2021 (Naresh Kumar Vs. Smt. Neelam @ Anshu and others), under Section 406 IPC,
Police Station Khurja Dehat, District Bulandhahr, pending in the Court of Addl. Chief
Judicial Magistrate Khurja, District Bulandshahr.

It is submitted that the applicant no.1 is the wife of opposite party no.2, applicant nos.
2, 3, 4 and 5 are the father, mother and brothers of the applicant no.1 respectively.
Earlier, the applicant no.1 has lodged an FIR against the opposite party no.2-husband
and his family members on 13.11.2021 registered as Case Crime No.168 of 2021,
under Sections 498-A, 323, 354 Kha, 504, 506 IPC and Section 3/4 D.P.Act, Police
Station Mahua Khera, District Aligarh. In the said case, after investigation,
cognizance was taken by the court concerned on 18.01.2022. In counter blast to the
said proceedings, the instant prosecution has been instituted against the applicants for
the purposes of harassment.

Matter requires consideration.

Learned AGA has accepted notice on behalf of the State.

Issue notice to the opposite party no.2 by registered post AD.

The opposite parties may file their respective counter affidavits within six weeks.
Rejoinder affidavit, if any, may be filed within two weeks thereafter.

Place this case in the additional cause list on 24.05.2023.

Till the next date of listing, no coercive measure shall be taken against the applicants
in the aforesaid case."
                                                          A482 No. 6343 of 2023
                                4


8. Subsequently, the matter was listed on 13.12.2023, 29.02.2024,
24.07.20225 and 15.09.2025, wherein on 13.12.2023 and 15.09.2025,
there was no representation on behalf of the opposite party no.2. On
24.07.2025, learned counsel for the opposite party no.2 had prayed for
three weeks' time to file counter affidavit. There is no counter affidavit on
record and neither does learned counsel for the applicant state that any
such counter affidavit has been served on him.

9. The submission of learned counsel for the applicants is that the
applicants have been falsely implicated in the present case. It is submitted
that the applicant no.1 is the wife of the opposite party no.2, the applicant
nos.2 and 3 are the father-in-law and mother-in-law respectively of the
opposite party no.2 and the applicant nos.4 and 5 are the brother-in-laws
of the opposite party no.2. It is further submitted that the dispute in the
present matter is a matrimonial dispute. The applicant no.1 was married to
the opposite party no.2 and there was a matrimonial discord for which a
first information report was lodged on 13.11.2021 as Case Crime No.0168
of 2021, under Sections 498A, 323, 354(Kha), 504, 506 IPC and Section
3/4 of Dowry Prohibition Act, Police Station Mahua Kheda, District
Aligarh by the applicant no.1 against Naresh Pal Singh, Saroj, Yashpal,
Mithilesh and two unknown persons. It is submitted that the said matter
was investigated and a charge sheet dated 02.12.2021 was filed for
offences under Sections 498A, 323, 354(Kha), 504, 506 IPC and Section
3/4 of Dowry Prohibition Act against the said accused. It is submitted that
in so far as the two unknown persons were concerned, they were not
charge sheeted. It is further submitted that the implication of the applicant
nos. 2 to 5 in the present matter is only on account of the facts that they
are family members of the applicant no.1 Smt. Neelam @ Anshu. It is
submitted that there are general and omnibus allegations leveled against
the said applicants. It is further submitted that there is no specification of
allegations with regards to the applicant nos.2 to 5. It is further submitted
that even the statements of the complainant and the witnesses recorded by
the trial court during inquiry do not spell out any specification of
allegations against the said four applicants. It is further submitted that in
so far as applicant no.1 is concerned, since she has a lodged First
Information Report earlier against the complainant/opposite party no.2
                                                                                            A482 No. 6343 of 2023
                                                                    5


                                    and his family members on 13.11.2021 the present complaint has been
                                    filed after about 17 days of the same on 01.12.2021 falsely implicating
                                    her and her family members. It is further submitted that the present
                                    application be thus allowed.

                                    10. Per contra, learned counsel for the State has opposed the arguments
                                    and the prayer made in the present application.

                                    11. After having heard learned counsels for the parties and perusing the
                                    records, it is evident that applicant no.1 was married to the opposite party
                                    no.2. The other applicants are the family members of the applicant no.1.
                                    The applicant no.1 had a matrimonial discord with the opposite party no.2
                                    and thus the First Information Report was lodged by her against opposite
                                    party no.2 and his family members on 13.11.2021. In the said matter, a
                                    charge sheet dated 02.12.2021 has been filed. In the meantime, the
                                    present complaint dated 01.12.2021 has been filed by the opposite party
                                    no.2 against his wife and her family members. In so far as applicant nos.2
                                    to 5 are concerned, they are family members of the applicant no.1. There
                                    are general and omnibus allegations levelled against him. The Application
                                    in so far as it relates to applicant nos.2 to 5 are concerned, stands
                                    allowed. The proceedings against them including summoning order dated
                                    17.12.2022 is hereby quashed. In so far as applicant no. 1 is concerned,
                                    the application stands dismissed.

                                    12. The trial court concerned to proceed with the trial of the applicant
                                    no.1 expeditiously.

                                    13. Interim order, if any, stands vacated.

                                    14. Registrar (Compliance) to communicate this order to the District and
                                    Sessions Judge/trial court concerned within two weeks.

                                    15. Pending application(s) if any, stand disposed of.



                                                                                              (Samit Gopal,J.)
                                    April 13, 2026
                                    Mini




Digitally signed by :-
MINI KANAUJIYA
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad


Continue reading with your account

Sign in to read the full judgment. It’s free.

Sign in to read

Checking your session…

For a signed copy suitable for filing, refer to the court's website.