Wife gets jail term for filing false case against husband

Wife gets jail term for filing false case against husband

A court in Manikganj has sentenced a woman to jail for filing a false dowry case against her husband after the allegations were not proven. Mosa Lovely Akhter was sentenced to 10 days' imprisonment for filing a false dowry case, while her husband Md Ariful Islam Ratan was acquitted of all charges.

Judge Dolon Biswas of the Manikganj Judicial Magistrate's Court delivered the verdict on Thursday, August 13, in the presence of both parties. The court also ordered the convicted Lovely Akhter to be sent to jail.

According to case details, Md Ariful Islam Ratan and Lovely Akhter were married on January 22, 2021. From the very next day, disputes arose between them over various issues. As a result, on March 15, 2022, Lovely filed a case under Section 3 of the Dowry Prohibition Act at the Singair Police Station Court, alleging that her husband had demanded Tk 5 lakh as dowry, beaten her and thrown her out of the house. The complainant and two others testified in court. However, during cross-examination by the defence, it was proven that the accused, Ratan, had gone abroad nearly seven months before the incident described in the complaint.

As the prosecution failed to prove the allegations, the court acquitted Ratan and sentenced the complainant, Lovely Akhter, to 10 days' imprisonment for filing the false case.

The case was prosecuted by Advocate Md Aziz Ullah, while Advocate Zakir Hossain Kohinoor appeared for the defence.

After the verdict, Advocate Samapti Akhter, representing Lovely Akhter, said an appeal was filed for bail given the 10-day sentence. The court, considering the humanitarian aspect, granted her bail on a Tk 1,000 bond on the condition that she appeal within one month.

Commenting on the verdict, Advocate Mahbubul Islam said such rulings are important to reduce the trend of harassing people through false cases. Even though the imprisonment term is short, it sends a message that filing a false case can lead to punishment for the complainant. Such precedents could significantly reduce the widespread tendency to file false cases in society.