Dowry demand and engagement cancellation legal remedy

509 votes

Agar ladke aur uske parivaar ne shaadi ke badle dahej ki demand ki hai, to yeh Dowry Prohibition Act ke tahat punishable offence hai. Aap najdeeki police station ya Women Cell mein written complaint dekar FIR darj karwa sakte hain. Chats, call recordings, witnesses aur hotel booking ke bills sab evidence ke roop mein preserve rakhein. Agar unhone shuru se hi paise lene ka irada rakha aur baad mein shaadi se mana kiya, to cheating ka case bhi ban sakta hai. Financial loss (jaise hotel booking, arrangement expenses) ke liye aap civil suit for recovery bhi file kar sakte hain. Legal action lene se pehle ek detailed legal notice bhejna bhi uchit rahega

Advocate Priya Kumari LawRato

802 votes

The facts disclosed amount to clear offences under Indian law. The demand of ₹15 lakh (settled at ₹8 lakh) is punishable under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. You can lodge an FIR against the boy, his father, and uncle for dowry demand. In addition, their conduct may attract Section 420 IPC (Cheating) since they induced your family into expenditure by false promise of marriage and later backed out. On the civil side, while engagements are not legally enforceable contracts, you can file a civil suit for damages/compensation to recover financial losses such as hotel booking and engagement expenses. Any gifts or valuables exchanged must also be returned. Next Steps: 1. File a written complaint with the police narrating the dowry demand and subsequent refusal. 2. Preserve all evidence (messages, call records, receipts, witnesses). 3. Approach the State Women’s Commission or National Commission for Women for intervention. Thus, you have both criminal remedies (dowry demand, cheating) and civil remedies (compensation for financial loss) available

Advocate Tushar LawRato