Husband escapes criminal case as Telangana HC cites US jurisdiction

Court ruled that the alleged offences took place in the United States and not within India.

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has quashed a criminal case against a husband accused of harassing and assaulting his wife, ruling that the alleged offences took place in the United States and not within India.

Justice Juvvadi Sridevi passed the order while hearing a petition filed by the accused seeking the quashing of a first information report (FIR) that was registered by the Cyberabad IT Corridor Women’s Police Station.

Wife alleges harassment, attempt to kill her

According to the complaint, the couple married in 2018. At the time of the marriage, the woman’s parents allegedly gave gold ornaments, money and other valuables to her husband.

Shortly after the wedding, the husband moved to the US and his wife joined him there later.

During their stay, the woman alleged that her husband harassed her physically and mentally over suspicion about her fidelity. She also accused him of attempting to run her and their son over with a car.

The woman said she had approached the US Police over these incidents. She later returned to India and began living separately. Later, she filed a complaint with the Cyberabad Police.

Based on her complaint, the police registered a case under sections 85 (Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 115(2) (Criminal conspiracy), 351(2) (General criminal intimidation) and 352 (Intentional insult) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Husband seeks quashing of FIR

Senior counsel Baglekar Akash Kumar, representing the husband, told the High Court that the allegations were related to incidents that allegedly took place entirely in the US.

He argued that the woman had already approached the police authorities in that country.

The counsel also mentioned that the couple’s marriage had been legally dissolved by a US court through a divorce decree dated August 10, 2026. He argued that continuing the criminal case would amount to an abuse of the legal process.

On the other hand, Additional Public Prosecutor M Vivekananda Reddy argued that the wife’s allegations of physical and mental cruelty required a police investigation.

High Court sets aside criminal proceedings

After reviewing the case records and arguments from both sides, the High Court concluded that the allegations did not establish the offences against the husband.

The judge noted that the incidents involving alleged cruelty, assault and the car had occurred in the US.

The High Court quashed the proceedings against him.