New Delhi, Vishnu Sukumaran, Jan 29, 2014, DHNS:

When a young computer science engineer got married to an NRI in 2012, she never thought she would be taken to the US only to be abandoned in a foreign land.

Since August 2013, she has been staying with her parents in south east Delhi. The victim has also been fighting for justice against “highly influential persons in Karnataka” — her father-in-law B L Sridhar, former Additional Chief Secretary of Karnataka, and mother-in-law A Gayatri Devi, a lecturer in Bangalore University.

She alleges that she was subjected to extreme mental and physical cruelty by her husband Abhijit S Bellur and in-laws which even forced her to consider taking the extreme step — suicide. Abhijit holds a H1-B visa which is valid upto September 2015, and is at present working at Farmington in Connecticut.

Alleging dowry harassment and abandonment, she  says she was even forced to approach the Delhi High Court after her repeated complaints went unheard by the Delhi Police, National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Women and the Ministry of External Affairs.

On Tuesday, a case was finally filed at Amar Colony Police Station after the court issued a notice to the Delhi Police Commissioner on January 22. “I was left completely heartbroken and homeless in a foreign country,” the victim told Deccan Herald.

She married Abhijit in Bangalore on February 26, 2012, in a lavish ceremony, which her father organised by taking loans. Within two days, Abhijit returned to the US promising that she will be able to join him after completing necessary formalities. She was staying with her in-laws in Bangalore, but soon they allegedly started demeaning her claiming higher status in the society.

“On petty issues, both father-in-law and mother-in-law used to taunt me. They insisted that my father should bring expensive gifts for them. Various demands made from time to time were met by my father,” she said.

She went to New Jersey in September 2012, but her ordeal did not end. It is alleged that Sridhar and Gayatri used to call Abhijit everyday and instigate him against her. “Life became a nightmare, as Abhijit used to taunt me saying how useless and worthless I was and how he had left better prospects for someone like me,” she added.

In March 2013, she returned to India for a few days, leaving all her belongings, original degree certificates and other valuables in their rented house in the US.

The woman was due to return on April 23, 2013. However, as there was over 21 hours layover at Doha Airport, her father advanced the ticket for April 15, 2013, which was a direct flight. She alleges that when Abhijit was informed about this, he lost his temper and told her that she should not bother coming back. It was the last time she spoke to her husband.

She finally went to US on June 11, 2013, and was shocked to find their house empty and all her original degree certificates, clothes, jewelry and all other belongings taken away by her husband. Upon inquiring with the landlord, she found that Abhijit had terminated the lease without her knowledge and consent for which she was a co-lessee too. She tried to contact Abhijit several times to no avail.

The Delhi High Court has asked the Delhi police chief and a deputy commissioner of police to file a status report on February 18, and also issued notices to Abhijit, Sridhar and Gayatri. Attempts to contact Sridhar in Bangalore were futile.