India, May 30 -- The Madhya Pradesh high court has ruled that forcing unnatural sex on one's wife, along with physical assault and cruelty, amounts to an offence under Section 498A of the IPC, The Times of India reported on Friday.

However, it clarified that the husband cannot be prosecuted under Sections 377 or 376, since 'marital rape' is not a punishable offence under current Indian law.

The court upheld the FIR filed by a woman against her husband.

The police had earlier charged the husband under Sections 377 (unnatural offences), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 498A (cruelty by husband or relatives).

The husband challenged the FIR, arguing that unnatural sex with one's wife is not a crime under Indian law.

He also claimed th...