FIR against woman, family for giving dowry

In a rare instance, a Delhi court has ordered registration of an FIR against a woman, her parents and her brother for allegedly giving dowry.

In a rare instance, a Delhi court has ordered registration of an FIR against a woman, her parents and her brother for allegedly giving dowry.

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It is the first criminal case in the city to be registered under the Dowry Prohibition Act Section 3 in the past 5 years.

Advising police to immediately take action in the dowry-related case, Metropolitan Magistrate Neeraj Gaur, after hearing both sides, said: “Police should simultaneously register a case under the Dowry Prohibition Act against the parents of the complainant who marry their daughter despite demands of dowry.”

Laviral (name changed), a resident of Model Town, north Delhi, married Pooja (name changed) on January 31, 2004.

Pooja allegedly started pressurising Laviral to start a nuclear family soon after. He refused. Peeved by the refusal, Pooja filed a complaint against him and his family under section 498A and 406 of the IPC, Laviral said.

Laviral’s counsel Pradeep Nawani said: “Pooja alleged that her family spent more than Rs 10 lakh including Rs 2 lakh cash at the time of marriage. On the basis of this complaint, we moved court seeking action against her and her family.”

Laviral said he was forced to file a case as the police had refused to lodge his FIR.