Groom, family booked for cancelling marriage for dowry

NAGPUR, APRIL 21: A prospective groom from a well-to-do family and five of his relatives were booked by the city police for cancelling hi...

NAGPUR, APRIL 21: A prospective groom from a well-to-do family and five of his relatives were booked by the city police for cancelling his marriage at the eleventh hour, dowry being the reason.

The marriage of 29-year-old Kabuli aka Madhuri Wasnik, daughter of retired postmaster Digambar Wasnik, with Milind Kothiram Meshram, a clerk with the Central Avenue branch of the Indian Overseas Bank, was scheduled for 10.30 am on Tuesday at Chandramani Bhavan in Hindustan Colony here.

To the surprise of the Wasniks and their relatives, neither Milind nor his relatives were to be seen at the marriage hall when they reached there. The Wasniks waited till 2.30 in the afternoon, but the Meshrams had turned their back on them.

Story continues below this ad

Wasnik learnt from the office-bearers of the marriage hall that the Meshrams unilaterally cancelled the marriage almost a fortnight ago through a written intimation to them. They had even demanded refund of the advance sum of Rs 5,000 which was in fact paid by Wasnik. It was only because theMeshrams did not possess the hall receipt that they could not get the money.

In his first information report (FIR) lodged later with the Dhantoli police, Wasnik, who is father of three sons and three daughters, Madhuri being his fourth child, stated that Madhuri’s engagement with Milind was solemnised on February 24. The Wasniks had presented a gold chain, a gold ring and clothes to the prospective groom.

It was on March 14, during a feast for relatives organised at Wasnik’s house at Maskasath, when the Meshrams put forth a series of unreasonable demands. Among others, they wanted the entire expenses of the marriage to be borne by Wasnik, Rs one lakh in cash, a mobike, washing machine, colour television and a refrigerator, the FIR stated.

They also went to the extent of demanding a share in the property at Gandhi Nagar owned by Madhuri’s aunt, Shakuntala Sahare, with whom she had been living since childhood.

Story continues below this ad

Wasnik had then assured the Meshrams that whatever possible within his limits and as pertradition would be done. However, this appears to have not convinced the Meshrams, leading to the unpleasant break off.

Apart from Milind, who is son of a retired employment officer, his brothers, Ganesh, a dental surgeon with the Government Medical College, Sanjay and his wife Meenakshi, and relatives Charandas Bankar and Leelabai Bankar, were booked for cheating, dowry harassment and common motive. No arrest was reported till late Tuesday evening.