A software engineer’s wife has sought action against her father-in-law for attempting to molest her.
She has also sought action against her husband and mother-in-law for asking her to ‘cooperate with him’. The woman said she was physically and mentally harassed for dowry.
The victim hails from Tumakuru, but currently stays with her parents in Basavanagudi here. The victim’s husband and his parents reside in Indiranagar.
She got married on April 7, 2016. In a complaint to the women’s police station, Basavanagudi, the woman said her husband flew to America within a week after the wedding. Her father-in-law would inappropriately touch her and invite her for physical contact. He would also abuse her in filthy language.
The victim complained to her mother-in-law, but the latter ‘directed her to cooperate’. She contacted her husband in America and told him about the attempts of molestation. But he directed her to adjust with his father. He threatened to kill her if she did not cooperate.
She told the police that her husband had promised to arrange for her visa so that she could join him, but he never fulfilled his promise. Rather, he demanded Rs 5 lakh and ornaments worth Rs 2 lakh so that he could arrange visa for her. She spent money from her pocket, flew to America and joined him.
The woman said the in-laws joined the couple in America within a few days. The father-in-law continued his behaviour there also. She returned to India as she could no longer bear the torture.
Dowry harassment
She claimed that her parents had presented her husband two gold chains, a wrist watch and Rs 2.5 lakh as dowry during the wedding. Besides, her parents had spent Rs 10 lakh for the wedding.
“The police have booked the trio under IPC section 498 A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) besides sections 3 and 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act,” DCP (South) S D Sharanappa told DH.
The police said that they have issued notices to the victim’s husband and mother-in-law as they are in America. They are yet to question the father-in-law.
