Neha Chhikara case: Parents file FIR for dowry harassment

The family has accused Neha’s husband Ankit Dalal,father-in-law Dr S S Dalal (also the chief medical officer at the Gurgaon Civil Hospital),mother-in-law Nirmal Dalal and her sister-in-law for harassing Neha for dowry,soon after marriage.

Neha has been missing since December 31 from the Royal Caribbean Cruise,where she had recently taken up a job. Ankit works as a manager on the same ship and has been employed there for almost seven years now. The two were married in August 2008. Neha’s in-laws used to beat her and demanded money since then,alleged Neha’s father Suresh Chhikara.

“We have filed the FIR under Sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt),406 (criminal misappropriation of property entrusted to someone) and 498 (dowry harassment) of the IPC,” Gurgaon police commissioner S S Deswal said.

“We have not arrested anyone as yet and are still investigating the case. As far as death is concerned,it needs to be certified by the police there (Bahamas,where Neha went missing).”

When quizzed on the possibility that the accused may try to “escape”,Deswal said: “S S Dalal holds a responsible position in a government (department); he can not ‘run away’.”

The Gurgaon police chief also said the US police have sealed Neha’s room and are collecting necessary evidence for the case.

Dr S S Dalal,meanwhile,has issued an official statement: “Only recently my son brought to my notice that Neha is taking some anti-depressant tablets and at times gets violent. She might have taken this extreme step under depression. The allegations of dowry and physical torture levied on us are baseless and (are) only an afterthought by her family.”