Chembur businessman held for driving wife to suicide

A 34-year-old businessman from Chembur has been arrested for allegedly harassing his wife for dowry and driving her to commit suicide.

A 34-year-old businessman from Chembur has been arrested for allegedly harassing his wife for dowry and driving her to commit suicide.

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Kiran Agarwal (26) was found hanging in her marital home at New Ashok Nagar, at RCF, Chembur on Thursday morning. Her husband, Ghanshyam Agarwal, was arrested following a complaint by Kiran’s father, Rajendra Agarwal (48).

Kiran married Ghanshyam, a ration shop owner, in 2002. The couple has a five-year-old son.“Around 6.15 am on Thursday, Kiran’s younger sister, Babita, who had come to Mumbai for a vacation, saw her hanging in the bedroom. She immediately informed her father in Hyderabad,” said Jalinder Khandagale, assistant commissioner of police, Trombay division.

The police said the in-laws had been torturing Kiran for dowry for three years. “Since last year, they had been demanding Rs 4-5 lakh,” said Police Inspector Prasad Dharia. “They wanted to release some gold jewellery mortgaged for Pawan’s (the victim’s brother-in-law) release after he was arrested by the crime branch in a rationing scam.”

The police said that Kiran’s parents paid the accused Rs 50,000, 30,000 and 150 grams of gold on three occasions.“Kiran called me up on several occasions for money.

The police have booked Ghanshyam, Pawan, and Ghanshyam’s sister-in-law, Anju for dowry harassment and abetment to suicide. Ghanshyam’s parents are yet to be traced, the police said.