Supreme Court has ruled that police cannot automatically arrest an accused in dowry cases and it must give reasons for taking such steps which would be judicially examined.

A bench headed by Justice CK Prasad directed all the state governments to instruct its police officers not to automatically arrest an accused when a case under Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code is registered.

The apex court also expressed concern over misuse of the anti dowry law by disgruntled wives against their husbands and in-laws.

Section 498-A of the IPC was introduced with object to combat the menace of harassment to a woman at the hands of her husband and his relatives.