The Supreme Court has restored the power of arrest to the police in cases of dowry harassment. They are empowered to arrest the husband and their family members.
However the Court has the power to grant bail and anticipatory bail to the accused. A three judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Dipak Mishra and Justices A M Kanwiikar and D Y.Chandrachud passed the orders. They called for application of mind to see that no indiscriminate arrests are made. The Court ordered setting up of family welfare committees in each district. Any complaint relating to dowry should be first referred to the committee which would call the parties concerned and make enquiries. It would submit a report to the Magistrate and till then no arrests were to be made.
