HC notice to NRI husband for deserting wife

Justice Mukul Mudgal said Suryanarayana Murty Sonti, who works for Delaware-based Impact Systems Inc, and his father Chiranjeevi Rao Sonti must file replies by July 7.

Indira is a post-graduate diploma holder in management. She left her permanent job at the Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI) and married Suryanarayana after a brief courtship through e-mails and phone calls.

On April 23, 1999, their wedding was performed as per Christian traditions before the clerk of peace at New Castle County. Two days later, the wedding was solemnised according to Hindu rituals at Lord Venkateswara temple in Pittsburgh.

But Indira’s story began on the wedding’s first night itself. Her husband demanded Rs 10 lakh in cash, besides gifts and jewellery, as dowry. When she refused as her father had spent his savings to take her to US, Suryanarayana threatened to divorce her.

A week later, Indira and her father P V Rao reluctantly booked a flight back to New Delhi. However, Suryanarayana and his parents said Indira could stay with them if she signed five blank paper sheets, which she did.

On May 4 last year, Rao left for India hoping that all the problems would be resolved soon. But Indira’s condition worsened day-by-day. "She was brought to a state of total depression and mental breakdown in 15 to 20 days,” said her counsel M Tarique Siddiqui.

"The trauma and suffering to which Indira was subjected by her husband and in-laws created a feeling of worthlessness and adversely effected her confidence. They made her an object of ridicule and a mental wreck.”

On May 11, 1999 she flew back to India.

Siddiqui said Indira wanted to pursue her studies so that she could get a decent job. On January 31 this year, she filed a complaint against her husband and father-in-law under Sections 498-A and 406 of the Indian Penal Code for punishment for subjecting a married woman to cruelty and for criminal breach of trust.

On June 7, she filed a suit under Section 18 of the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act 1956 read with Section 151 of the Civil Procedure Code.