Interpol notice in dowry case

MUMBAI: A 27-year-old IT professional Abhijeet Khatav along with his parents, who are based in Sydney and are of Australian nationality, have been listed by the Interpol as wanted for demanding dowry from an Indian.

This is probably the first case where an Interpol notice has been issued in a dowry case, city police said.

Usually, a red-corner notice is issued against those accused in crimes like drug trafficking, bomb blasts, hijacking, child sexual abuse, terrorist activities, illegal remittance of foreign exchange, etc.

The request for a red-corner notice was issued on the basis of a complaint filed with the Borivli police station. Interpol is expected to issue a request to the Australian police for their extradition.

Kamal Bansode, police inspector attached to Borivli police station, said the complainant, Sapna (name changed), has named husband, Abhijeet, father-in-law Suresh Khatav (57), and mother-in-law Chhaya (55).

In her complaint, Sapna said that her husband, who works as Credit Officer with M/s Haier Electricals in Sydney, had demanded Rs 5 lakh as dowry after the marriage.

She further alleged that her mother-in-law Chhaya had taken away her jewellery worth Rs 85,000, while Abhijeet had cast aspersions on her integrity.

"Abhijeet's uncle, Dashrath, had gone to meet relatives in Kolhapur, where he saw Sapna for the first time.

As the Khatavs had asked him to look for a suitable girl for Abhijeet, he recommended her name for Abhijeet to his brother," said inspector Bansode.

Abhijeet and Sapna met each other through video conferencing for the first time. They married on December 5, 2003, after which the couple went to Goa for a honeymoon. Within a week of the wedding, Abhijeet allegedly told her that he suspected her character.

He allegedly also demanded Rs 5 lakh as dowry. When she approached police, Abhijeet apologised and promised that he would send a visa for her once he reached Australia.

Months after Abhijeet and his family left for Australia, she received a letter from the Australian embassy, informing her that a visa could not issued to her as her husband had told Australian officials that the marriage would be annulled soon.

It was then that Sapna approached the Borivli police and lodged a complaint against Abhijeet and his parents on May 21, 2004.

The Borivili metropolitan magistrate on July 21 last year issued non-bailable warrants against the three accused.

Later, the extradition cell of the city crime branch took charge and sent a request to the CBI to issue a red-corner notice against the three accused.

Sapna who continued with her education in the meanwhile stays with her parents in Kolhapur.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1344600.cms