Female 'author' in Indore to write book on Shah Bano case alleges mob assault; cops deny claim

The woman claimed that Shah Bano's family members made 'unrealistic demands' for money from her in connection with the proposed book contract, and got into an altercation with her when she raised objections.

Indore: A woman claiming to be an author has alleged a mob beat her up about two months ago on suspicion of being a "child lifter" when she visited Indore to meet the family members of Shah Bano Begum as part of a project to write a book on the famous legal case involving her.

Police, however, have denied any mob attack on the woman, terming her allegations as false.

In a video circulating on social media on Monday, the woman can be heard stating she came in February to meet the family members of late Shah Bano, whose long battle for maintenance after a divorce resulted in a famous Supreme Court ruling, to write a book on the case.

PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

The woman, who resides outside Indore, claimed that Shah Bano's family members made "unrealistic demands" for money from her in connection with the proposed book contract, and got into an altercation with her when she raised objections.

She alleged that during the dispute, a man accused her of being a "child lifter", following which a crowd that had gathered at the spot in the Khajrana area beat her up and mistreated her.

Manoj Singh Sendhav, the in-charge of the Khajrana police station, termed the allegations regarding the mob assault as "false".

"A dispute had arisen between the woman and Shah Bano's family members regarding the book contract. The police immediately reached the spot. Under a mutual settlement, both parties informed the police that they did not wish to pursue any action against each other," the official said.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotiya claimed that during the dispute, the woman was accused of "data theft," which people present at the scene mistook for "beta chori" (stealing a son).

Consequently, there was confusion for a brief period.

Due to the mutual settlement, no complaint was lodged with the police either by the woman or Shah Bano's family members, Dandotiya.

Shah Bano was a resident of Indore. In 1978, after being divorced by her lawyer-husband, Mohammad Ahmed Khan, she filed a lawsuit in a local court seeking maintenance from him.

Following a prolonged legal battle, the Supreme Court delivered a verdict in Shah Bano's favour in 1985.

Amidst protests by Muslim organisations, the then-Rajiv Gandhi government enacted the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act in 1986.

This legislation effectively nullified the apex court's verdict in the Shah Bano case. Shah Bano passed away in 1992.