Dowry harassment: Former assistant police commissioner,family held

In May 2007,Sabah Pathan,a 26-year-old research professional,was married to Pathan’s son Majid,an MBA graduate,who works for a consultancy firm. After retiring from the police force in 2001,Pathan and his elder son Zakir had opened a security agency.

“A few months after the marriage,the family members urged her to get Rs 10 lakh from her parents. Sabah’s father,who works in the BEST,had managed to get Rs one lakh and handed it over. But it didn’t satisfy their demands. They used to make Sabah do all the household chores. In December 2007,they also forced her to get an abortion done and in November told her to leave the house. They asked her not to return,if she cannot get the money,” said Police Inspector (Crime) Bharat Deshmukh.

Sabah Pathan had shifted to her parents’ house in Powai and eventually in February lodged a complaint with the police.

“In her complaint,Sabah alleged that Pathans would also threaten her and her parents saying that he could still wield the police clout against them,if they refused to fulfill their dowry demands. They reportedly confiscated all her ornaments and didn’t give her money for her daily expenses.On Monday morning,we arrested Pathan,his wife Razia and sons Majid and Zakir. Two others are yet to be arrested in the case. The four accused have been remanded to police custody till March 12,” said Senior Police Inspector Rajdoot Rupawate.