After a seven-year long struggle,the deserted wife of an NRI was able to get and FIR registered against her husband on the directions of Inspector General (Jalandhar) Gurpreet Deo. The FIR has been registered against her husband and six of his family members. The woman,Naresh Rani (33) has also alleged that the Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajinder Singh,who is conducting an inquiry into the FIR,threatened her to compromise with her in-laws or drop their names from the FIR. Rani has filed a complaint pertaining to such pressure to the DGP of Punjab Police and Jalandhar IG and appealed to them to have the FIR investigated by an officer from outside the district. I was quite hopeful that I might get justice when the FIR was registered,but all my hopes were dashed when an inquiry officer instead of conducting an impartial inquiry pressurised me to compromise with the other party, Rani said,adding that she had earlier filed a case of domestic violence with a local court that had ordered the local police to recover her dowry items. Holding the court order,Rani said that the local police had failed to comply with the court directions. How can I expect justice from the local police that refused to comply with court orders or register a case in the past seven years? she rued. SP Rajinder Singh,who is conducting the inquiry in the FIR,did not pick up his mobile phone despite repeated attempts. Naresh Rani claims she got married in 2004 to one Hussan Lal of Tajpur village. A few months later,Hussan began harassing her and then left for Italy - he has not returned since. After Hussan left,his elder brother Ashok Kumar - the Sarpanch of Tajpur village and close aide of a SAD cabinet minister - his wife,mother-in-law and others started to abuse her physically. I made many police complaints. I was even admitted to Civil hospital for four days,but the police didnt take any action and expressed helplessness to register a FIR due to political pressure, Rani said. She was finally able to get an FIR registered after complaining to Helpline for deserted brides,which was launched by Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal on May 30. After preliminary examination Deo,who has been working on overseas marriages,directed Jalandhar (Rural) police to register an FIR on June 19. The case was registered under Sections 498,506,323,406,120 (B). However,Rani alleged that the accused were able to get an inquiry marked into the FIR - now being investigate by Rajinder Singh - with the help of a cabinet minister.
