NEW DELHI:
The Delhi high court has come to the rescue of a man who has been slapped with a dowry harassment case by his estranged wife after 13 years of marriage.
Justice Ajit Bharihoke granted anticipatory bail to Suresh (name changed) and directed police not to take any coercive action against him and his mother. Suresh had come to HC after his wife Sunita (name changed) lodged a complaint against him and his anticipatory bail plea was dismissed by the lower court on the ground that the allegations against him - of having illicit relations with his wife's friend - were "very grave".
According to his counsel Prabhjit Jauhar, the couple got married in 1998 and has two children. There was no demand for dowry or complaint of any cruelty during the 13 years that they were together. But after the death of Suresh's father last year, Sunita allegedly demanded a share in the house of her father-in-law. According to the petition, the relationship soured after Suresh refused her demand and she filed a criminal case. Besides the allegation of dowry harassment, she also accused Suresh of adultery, claiming he was having an affair with her friend.
While the lower court refused bail also on the ground that the dowry articles were still to be recovered, Suresh argued in HC that his wife had signed a document last year acknowledging receipt of her entire stridhan articles.
HC has also directed the police to file a status report by this October.
