Dowry harassment: Man and parents face charges over Rs 20 lakh demand

A 36-year-old man, along with his parents, is facing criminal charges in Navi Mumbai for allegedly subjecting his daughter-in-law to harassment stemming from an unmet dowry demand of Rs 20 lakh, according to local law enforcement. The accusation states that prior to their marriage, the accused’s family had insisted on receiving Rs 20 lakh as a “groom price” from the victim’s father. The accused trio and the victim originate from Bihar but currently reside in the CBD Belapur area of Mumbai’s satellite city. No arrests have been made as of yet.
The police revealed that the victim, a 34-year-old woman, endured frequent physical abuse from her husband and was subjected to cruelty between November 2017 and August 2023 because she failed to fulfill the promised Rs 20 lakh dowry, as per a filed FIR. The complaint further indicated that the woman’s father had already provided the groom with gold ornaments and various electronic devices.
In response to these allegations, the police have charged the husband, identified as Anand Ranjan, and his parents with offenses including cruelty towards a woman, voluntarily causing hurt, and intentionally provoking a breach of the peace, as specified under sections 498A, 323, and 504 of the Indian Penal Code.