The in-laws had approached the High Court after the trial court denied them anticipatory bail on July 20. On July 23, the High Court had granted them protection from arrest, which was being extended from time to time.
The Delhi High Court Friday denied anticipatory bail to the in-laws of a flight attendant, who allegedly committed suicide in Panchsheel Park on July 13, saying WhatsApp messages and the emails on record establish a “continuous course of harassment and torture to the deceased” by them.
Justice Mukta Gupta said that no “fit case” has been found to grant anticipatory bail to Sushma Singhvi and R S Singhvi, parents of Mayank Singhvi, who is in judicial custody in connection with the death of his wife Anissia Batra (39).
The in-laws had approached the High Court after the trial court denied them anticipatory bail on July 20. On July 23, the High Court had granted them protection from arrest, which was being extended from time to time.
Mayank’s parents moved the anticipatory bail application, claiming they had no role in the matter, and any dispute between their son and daughter-in-law was their internal matter.
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Standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra, appearing for the crime branch, opposed their anticipatory bail plea.
The court also found the parents’ statement to be false, and observed that there is evidence that Anissia had sent an email to her counsel, narrating her sufferings for the last two-and-a-half years.
“In the said mail to the lawyer, Anissia has explained various incidents and also of July 13, 2016 whereafter the parents of Mayank came to their flat… and besides Mayank, the petitioners also started lashing out at her,” the judge noted in her order.
It further said: “From the documents placed on record, particularly the supplementary statement of father of Anissia, the WhatsApp messages and the email to counsel (of deceased), the continuous course of harassment and torture to the deceased is evident.”
“The said email also narrates the participation and the support extended by the petitioners to their son in the harassment. Further as noted from the supplementary statement of the father of the deceased, there was clear demand of Rs 10 lakh,” the order concludes.
Anissia’s parents had filed a complaint against her husband and in-laws, accusing them of having a role in her death. They claimed that Mayank, a software engineer in Gurgaon, used to physically abuse her.
On July 17, a court had sent Mayank, who was arrested on July 16, to 14-day judicial remand after police moved an application saying the accused was not required for custodial questioning.
Anissia, who worked with a German airline, allegedly jumped off the terrace of her house on July 13, after sending a message to her friend and husband that she was ending her life.
Mayank rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she was declared dead. Her family has alleged that her husband used to physically abuse her.
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