The Delhi High Court has asked the city police to file a report on the plea of a software professional alleging that she was harassed by her US-based husband and his parents and was forced to leave her matrimonial home in Virgina within one year of tying the knot.
Justice Mukta Gupta, who asked Delhi Police Commissioner and a DCP to file a status report on February 18, also issued notices to her husband Abhijit S Bellur, father-in-law B L Sridhar, a former Additional Chief Secretary of Karnatka, and mother-in-law Gayatri Devi Ananthramaiah, a lecturer with the Bangalore University.
The petition alleged that the police have not been lodging the FIR under the relevant penal provisions.
"Issue notice. The proxy counsel for Additional Standing Counsel accepts notice on behalf of the state. Status report be filed before the next date.
"Notice be now be issued to Respondent nos. 3, 4 and 5 (husband and his parents) on the petitioner taking steps through ordinary and dasti process... And also through email..., returnable on February 18, 2014," Justice Mukta Gupta said.
The plea, which sought a direction for an FIR against her husband and in-laws, said the marriage between the girl and Bellur, who is holding H1 B visa and is employed at Helena in Montana with Corporate Computer Services Inc, was solemnised on February 26 in Bangalore.
Initially her husband went back to US alone and later, on September 26, 2012, she joined her husband in New Jersy, it said adding her in-laws used to raise various dowry demands.
Even in the US, Bellur used to behave in a "rude" manner and once she attempted to end her life by cutting her wrist, the petition said.
She left for India in February, 2013 and later went to Virginia in June to join her husband despite resistance from in-laws, it said.
"Petitioner reached her apartment at 6.30 PM and found all her belongings and original documents missing. She called her husband on his phone and sent several e-mails which were never responded.
"She was in a foreign country all alone relying upon a few family friends.. Had no income or source to fight any litigation in the US and was forced to come back to India," it said, adding since then she has been fighting for justice.
