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An Australia-based techie, who hails from the city and is accused of having extra-marital affairs, is in the dock after his wife, Santoshi Sujana, approached the court accusing him and his mother of harassing her for more dowry, intimidating her and leaving her to fend for herself on the streets of Sydney.
Following the directions from the court, the women police station at Begumpet registered a case and are investigating into the matter.
Santosh Raj Dharanikota, 32, allegedly returned to the city abandoning her wife Santoshi, 24, in Sydney. She was forced to spend three months at John Harris Women Refusal Home there.
Her ordeal came to an end when the Telugus settled there came forward to help her obtain a visa and a flight ticket to Hyderabad.
Soon after she arrived at the city, she filed a petition in the court against her husband on Monday. The court ordered the Begumpet Women’s Police Station to register a domestic violence case against Santosh Raj the same day, which followed the court orders on Wednesday evening.
FIRST PERSON ACCOUNT
I was married to Santosh Raj, a manager in Deloitte Corporate Consulting Services in Sydney, on December 21, 2008 in Visakhapatnam.
My parents had paid them a dowry of Rs 15 Lakh cash, 20 tola gold ornaments and household items worth of Rs 2 lakh, as was demanded by them.
Soon after I shifted to their house at Sitafalmandi, Santosh and his mother Uma started harassing me for an additional dowry of Rs 5 Lakh.
After staying in their house for a year, I shifted to the US with my husband where I stayed till September, 2010.
Soon after my return to India, the harassment started again, only this time it was more physical than verbal.
I had to bear this for over a year, till we left for Sydney. My husband abandoned me there on the pretext of his father’s sudden demise.
By then, I had come to know about his affairs and we had regular heated arguments over this. Left alone, I joined the Women Refusal Centre in Sydney.
The Telugu Association collected money from the Telugu people living there and arranged a flight ticket and visa for me. After returning back to Hyderabad, I went to their house, only to be humiliated by my husband and my mother-in-law.
They threw all my belongings on the street and forced me out, threatening me of dire consequences if I return again. In a bid to seek justice, I approached the women’s police station at Begumpet and lodged a complaint against my Santosh and Uma. But, the police was reluctant to take any action as it was a ‘family matter’ and advised me to approach the court, which I did.
I demand the police to seize his passport as he is planning to leave the country and urge them to take action against my tormentors.
INVESTIGATION
Inspector of the Women Police Station, Begumpet K Sridevi said that they have received a complaint from the victim and registered cases under section 498 (A) (dowry harassment) and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) of IPC and section 4 and 6 of Dowry Prohibition (DP) Act against the accused Santosh Raj and his mother Uma.
They also recorded Santoshi’s statement and have questioned Uma.
The investigation is on.
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