India, April 15 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition that wanted the police to conduct a preliminary probe before a first information report (FIR) was registered under the anti-dowry law to prevent its misuse, observing that the court could not give a blanket direction but could look at such instances on a case-to-case basis.

A bench of justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh said that Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (now replaced by section 85 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) was a salutary provision that sought to protect women from cruelty inflicted on them by husbands and in-laws on account of dowry. The provision was enacted to protect women from cruelty in marital homes.

"We see no reason to interfere with the le...