In between your cryptic query and their colossal demand of Rs.35 lacs, much is there to read. First, they ask for return of part stri-dhan and not entire stri-dhan, which includes the most valuable jewellery and now at this point of time, request is for only two bag full of clothes. It is no gainsaying that clothes are immediate necessity and keeping them in the custody of husband while investing some more amount to purchase afresh is nothing but idiocity. So, the demand to return of only clothes and not jewellery shows that she does not want to snap the relationship and in a few days after sabbatical she will be returning to matrimonial home. Demand of 35 lakhs, which is unreasonable from your point as well as their point of view and also unaffordable by you (they also know it fully well) is a clear indication that they are not in a mood for divorce and are putting a gambit, which you could understand only by applying perspicacious attitude. Employing the courier by themselves for picking up the bags of clothes instead of asking you to bring them to their home also is a sure invitation to you and your family to break the ice and initiate mediation without meddling into legal realm. A phlegmatic mediator who enjoys the confidence of both husband and wife is the need of hour. So, you yourself write a polite thawing letter to your wife bereft of any blame-game intending your interest to return those two bag full of clothes - here mention the complete list of clothes with vivid descripttion- over a cup of tea amongst the elders of both the parties at your home and also offer to use this occasion to remove the pin-pricks erupting occasionally in the sweet matrimonial relationship. Once, they come for taking back those clothes, get their signatures on the list of clothes acknowledging their return in the presence of two witnesses from both sides, but not miss the opportunity to normalize the relationship. Instead of this course of action, if you write a letter that you will return the clothes only in the court of law, means you are not intended to normalize the relationship and want to break up the relationship. Then they will be left with no option to recover the clothes (stri-dhan), either they have to file domestic violence case or section 498-A complaint before the crime against women cell or file a complaint in the concerned police station under Section 406 of IPC.
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