HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE RAJA ELANGO CRIMINAL PETITION No.1280 of 2010 ORDER: Petitioner approaches this Court with a prayer to quash the proceedings against her in C.C.No.346 of 2009 on the file of the XIII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Hyderabad, whereby she is facing charge for the offence punishable under Sections 498(A), 506 and 406 of IPC and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. Heard both sides. The main contention raised by the learned counsel for the petitioner is that the petitioner herein is not a relative of the husband of th e de facto complainant. Hence, the provisions under Sections 498(A) of IPC and 4 of the DP Act does not attract against the petitioner. As far as the offences under Section 498(A) of IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act are concerned, the entire reading of the complaint reveals that the only allegation against the present petitioner is that she is very friendly with the first accused, who is the husband of t h e de facto complainant. Except the said allegation, no other allegations are leveled against the present petitioner. As per the various decisions rendered by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, even a concubine cannot be treated as a relative of the husband and she cannot be tried for an offence under Section 498(A) IPC. In view of the same, no proceedings shall lie against the petitioner for the said offence. As far as the other offences under Section 506 of IPC are concerned, there is no allegation against the petitioner even as per the complaint lodged by the de facto complainant. Hence, this Court is of the view that further proceedings against the petitioner in C.C.No.346 of 2009 on the file of the XIII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Hyderabad, are quashed. With the above observation, the Criminal Petition is allowed. The miscellaneous petitions, if any, filed along with the criminal petition shall stand closed. ________________ RAJA ELANGO, J. 11th March 2011, Rns.