3 held in dowry case granted bail

A 28-year-old Wadala resident, his father and brother were granted bail in a dowry case on Monday, reports HT Correspondent.

A 28-year-old Wadala resident, his father and brother were granted bail in a dowry case on Monday.

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Anees Sheikh, his father, Sharif (55), and brother Shahid (23) were arrested by the Wadala TT police on December 18 following a dowry complaint filed by Anees’ wife, Mehtab in November. The 23-year-old network engineer has alleged that her husband and in-laws tortured her for dowry and forced her to quit work.

Mehtab married Anees in 2007. The groom’s family had said Anees was a well-settled garment trader and had no vices. Mehtab’s family spent Rs 20 lakh on the lavish wedding. She also took Rs two lakh in cash and gold jewellery to her marital home.

“A month after the wedding, I realised that the business was a sham and he had all the bad habits,” said Mehtab. “When I questioned him, he would abuse me. His family also started torturing me and demanding more money.” Mehtab learnt that her in-laws, who were also moneylenders, owned 35 rooms in Mumbai and earned a sizeable sum as rent.

“Anees, his mother and sisters would hit Mehtab and demand Rs 10 lakh from me. They would burn her with cigarette butts, lock her out of the house and even prevent her from using the bathroom,” alleged Mehtab’s father, Tahir Khan. “On September 15, she was thrown out of the house and her husband refused to take her back.”

The Wadala TT police have booked eight members of Anees’ family for causing hurt, criminal intimidation and harassment. The women in the family were granted anticipatory bail.