Sri Rameshwar Yadav vs The State Of Bihar

The Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of an application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. challenging the Sub-Divisional Magistrate's order rejecting the accused's request for exemption from personal appearance under Section 205 Cr.P.C. The Court clarified that such a request must be made at the first appearance stage, and if the accused appears without seeking exemption, the application is not maintainable. The Court emphasized the importance of personal appearance for conciliation in cases under Section 498A IPC and the Dowry Prohibition Act.