Money demanded by a man from his wife to run a business cannot be considered as `dowry' and would not attract penal provisions under the Dowry Prohibition Act, the Madurai bench of the Madras high court ruled on Wednesday.

The Times of India reports that while disposing a petition filed by the man's family against a complaint of dowry harassment, Justice CT Selvam ruled that it was necessary for a complainant to prove that the money was demanded only as dowry 

The judicial magistrate in Trichy had earlier taken cognizance of three offences – cruelty, criminal intimidation and dowry based on the complaint submitted by a woman. Seeking to quash the proceedings, the husband, his parents and sisters filed a case before the high court bench in 2010.

The HC has now ruled that the demand for money made by the husband was towards conduct of business and not demanded as dowry