FIR against UP minister for seeking dowry

The court passed the order on an application filed by one Prabal Pratap Pal who alleged that the police were not filing an FIR against the minister and his family on charges of seeking dowry.

According to Prabal,his daughter Preeti Pal,a nurse at Banda District Hospital,was engaged to the minister’s son Om on December 7,2008 but the BSP leader broke the engagement a year later after he failed to give him Rs 50 lakh as dowry.

Prabal said he tried to settle the matter by involving some of their common friends,but the minister did not heed and finalised his son’s marriage to another girl.

On January 9,Prabal met Aparna H S,Superintendent of Police (Chitrakoot),and requested her to lodge an FIR. But the police did not lodge an FIR and I had to file an application in the court on January 30,he said. The court then sought a report from the police.

Today,the police informed the court that they had not lodged an FIR,but were investigating the matter.

Rudra Prashad Mishra,counsel of the girl’s family,said the CJM found “sufficient ground” to lodge the FIR and directed the police to do so.

Earlier in the day,SP of Chitrakoot said,“As soon as I get a copy of the order,I will ask Kotwali inspector to lodge the FIR and investigate the matter. In fact,the police had already started the investigation,” said SP of Chitrakoot.

According to the SP,the sections of IPC to be invoked against the accused will be decided only after pursuing Prabal’s application and the court order.

Meanwhile,Prabal alleged that he had received a call threatening him to withdraw the case. “On January 31,a person called on my cellphone and threatened me of dire consequences if I didn’t stop pursuing the matter. The number belonged to a former state BSP president,” he said and added that he has informed it to the police.