The Karnataka High Court has refused to dismiss criminal proceedings against a woman’s husband and an astrologer in a sexual harassment case. The court rejected petitions from the woman’s husband, Deepa Darshan H.P., and Mohandas, also known as Sriwaramu (the astrologer), who had asked for the charges against them to be dismissed.

The charges against them include:

• Section 498A (Cruelty by husband or his relatives)
• Section 354 (Assault or criminal force intended to outrage a woman’s modesty)
• Section 354A (Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment)
• Section 508 (Threatening someone to believe they are subject to divine displeasure)

The case involves an incident where the astrologer allegedly touched the woman inappropriately while performing a ritual to fix problems in her horoscope. The woman was brought to the astrologer by her husband, who is accused of threatening her not to disclose the incident.

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The husband argued that a complaint under Section 498A had already been filed in 2018 and that the current complaint, filed in 2019, should not be allowed as it is related to the same allegations. He also claimed that since the woman has been living separately since 2018, the new complaint has no basis and that there is a pending petition for divorce in the family court.

However, the woman’s lawyer argued that the current accusations are different from those in the earlier case. The astrologer is accused of harassment under the guise of performing rituals, while the husband allegedly did nothing to stop the astrologer and threatened the woman to keep silent.

The High Court decided to proceed with the criminal charges, refusing to dismiss the case against the astrologer and the husband.