Spate of cases filed a day after SC verdict on triple talaq

KANPUR/BAREILLY/MEERUT : A day after the Supreme Court termed triple talaq as unconstitutional, there were a number of of domestic violence and dowry cases filed by Muslim women against their former spouses who resorted to instant talaq.

In Kanpur, Sofia Ahmed, a victim of triple talaq, lodged an FIR of dowry harassment and domestic violence on Wednesday against five people, including her husband and her in-laws, with the Swaroop Nagar police after the SC verdict of Tuesday.

Sofia, 24, was to married to a businessman Shariq Arafat on June 12, 2015. Soon after her marriage she was tortured and beaten on a regular basis over demand for dowry, she said in her FIR.

The in-laws and her husband forced her to get ₹1 crore and a sports car from her father, she alleged. As she refused to give in, her husband gave instant talaq and threw her out of the house on August 13,2016.

She said since her sister-in-law was a legislator, police did not lodge her report. Her consistent efforts forced the police to lodge an FIR later under sections of the Domestic Violence Act, but no further action was taken.

Soon after the decision against triple talaq, she filed a fresh FIR with the Swaroop Nagar police against her husband and the others. ASP Gaurav Banswal said a case of dowry torture and domestic violence was registered.

In Bareilly, a 30-year-old woman has accused her husband of demanding dowry and resorting to domestic violence a day after he divorced her using triple talaq in front of a local maulvi, post the Supreme Court verdict.

The woman, resident of Shergarh area of Bareilly, alleged she was first beaten by her husband Zahid Khan and then divorced on Tuesday evening.

“He divorced me in front of maulavi of the village mosque and elders,” the woman told HT.

She has also accused Zahid of sodomy and physical abuse in her complaint to the Shergarh police station. “I have also sent copies of the complaint to the office of the SSP and the DM,” she said. Police are yet to register an FIR and start investigation of the case.

In Meerut, a woman lodged an FIR against her husband and his six family members in Sardhana police station here Wednesday. Her husband had divorced her through triple talaq on Tuesday.

Arshinida of Sardhana town lodged a case against Siraj, his father Riyaz, three sisters and two others, also accusing them of demanding dowry and beating her, circle officer of Sardhana Dr Bheem Kumar Gautam said.

Siraj married Arshinida six years ago. Siraj and his family allegedly beat up Nida on Monday and expelled her from the house. A panchayat was convened on Tuesday but Siraj shocked everyone by pronouncing triple talaq to Arshinida. The family members approached clerics to seek their opinion.

IN KANPUR, SOFIA AHMED, A VICTIM OF TRIPLE TALAQ, LODGED AN FIR OF DOWRY HARASSMENT AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON WEDNESDAY