Delhi High Court Denies Bail in Landmark Domestic Violence Ruling

The Delhi High Court recently made a significant ruling in a domestic violence case, refusing bail to a man accused of trying to shoot his wife in 2018. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma emphasized that patriarchal entitlement should never be legitimized, as it positions women as subservient beings.

In its judgment on August 18, the court dismissed the man's defense that his actions were driven by anger 'in the spur of the moment,' noting that such reasoning contradicts the law's purpose. The decision underscores the seriousness with which domestic violence cases, especially those with deadly intent, are to be treated.

The court was firm that a marital relationship in such cases should be seen as an aggravating factor rather than a mitigating one. This stance came after the accused argued that he acted out of rage when his wife refused to accompany him back to the matrimonial home, an argument rejected by the court as promoting regressive notions of male entitlement.

(With inputs from agencies.)