IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD TUESDAY, THE SIXTH DAY OF OCTOBER TWO THOUSAND AND NINE PRESENT THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE K.C. BHANU CRIMINAL PETITION No.8140 of 2009 Between: Ravikanth @ Ravi and others ..... PETITIONERS AND The State of A.P. and others ....RESPONDENTS Counsel for the Petitioners : Counsel for the Respondents : The Court made the following: THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE K.C.BHANU CRIMINAL PETITION No.8140 OF 2009 ORDER: This Criminal Petition under Section 482 of Cr.P.C., is filed by the petitioners to quash the F.I.R.No.527 of 2009, dated 24.07.2009 at Kushaiguda Police Station, Cyberabad, Ranga Reddy District, registered for the offences under Section 498-A IPC and Section 4 & 6 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 against the petitioners/A1 to A4. 2. The allegation is that all the petitioners were harassing the daughter of de facto complainant to bring additional dowry. It is also alleged that at the time of marriage Rs.1,30,000/- was given towards dowry, 13 tulas of gold and Rs.50,000/- for the purchase of vehicle. 3. Heard both sides. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner contended that the daughter of the de facto complainant was not traced and she addressed a letter to the police stating that she had been looked after by her husband very well, and hence, the continuation of the proceedings is nothing but abuse of process of Court. 5. The inherent powers under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. can be exercised to prevent the abuse of process of Court or to secure ends of justice or to give effect to the order passed under the Code. If the allegations in the complaint do not make out a prima facie case for the offences alleged, then only the question of quashing the complaint would arise. 6. The allegation in the complaint would go to show that all the petitioners were harassing the daughter of the de facto complainant to bring additional dowry. Any unlawful demand is a cruelty under explanation to Section 498-A IPC. Therefore, a prima facie case for the offence under Section 498-A is made out. Whether the daughter of the complainant sent a letter to the police or not, is the matter to be enquired into by the investigating officer to know the correctness or otherwise of the contents in the letter. That cannot be a ground to quash the complaint at threshold stage. From the signature of the daughter of the de facto complainant in the letter, it cannot be presumed at this stage that it was sent by the daughter of the de facto complainant. Therefore, there are no grounds to quash the complaint. 7. Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is dismissed. _______________ K.C.BHANU, J October 6, 2009 MD