’Tortured’ advocate wants wife, 10 in-laws behind bars

30-year-old Ashok Yadav has filed a criminal petition against his estranged spouse and 10 of her relatives; claims that even the police were in cahoots with them

'Tortured' advocate wants wife, 10 in-laws behind bars

30-year-old Ashok Yadav has filed a criminal petition against his estranged spouse and 10 of her relatives; claims that even the police were in cahoots with them

A practising advocate at Bombay High Court fell in love with his client and married her but is now desperate to get rid of her. Goregaon-based Ashok Yadav (30) has filed a criminal petition against his wife and in-laws, claiming that they assaulted him on four different occasions. He also claims that the police have been working hand-in-glove with his in-laws.

Henpecked or harassed? In his petition, complainant Ashok Yadav
claims that his wife Shahiba would force him to pay for his in-laws'
household provisions and hospital bills. Pic/Sameer Markande

In his petition, Yadav mentions that he met Shahiba (27) in February 2008, when she approached him for legal aid, claiming that she wanted a divorce from her husband Samir Khan. She told Yadav that Samir had been living in Dubai for the past five years and had been neglecting her and their five-year-old son Zaid.

In course of their interactions, Yadav and Shahiba fell in love with each other. Inseparable, the duo got married in October 2010, at Mumba Devi temple, against their families' consent. Ironically, Shahiba was yet to divorce Samir.

Post marriage, Shahiba's family forced Yadav to convert to Islam. Complying with their demands, he accepted the new faith at Juma Masjid in Pydhonie in March, changing his name to Mohammad Umar Yadav.

Trouble in paradise
The complaint further mentions that a few days into their marriage, trouble started brewing between Yadav and Shahiba. The latter allegedly ordered Yadav to supply money and household provisions to her family on a monthly basis. Yadav has mentioned in his complaint that Shahiba made him give Rs 3,000 to her mother last month. On one occasion, when Yadav's father-in-law was admitted to hospital, Shahiba allegedly made him clear the hospital bill of Rs 5,000.

Yadav further claims that his mother-in-law disallowed him to enrol Zaid in a convent school, insisting that he be sent to a municipal school, as she wanted to pocket the money earmarked for admission. Soon, Yadav claims, Shahiba started putting pressure on him to buy a flat for her mother. "I was shocked when my brother-in-law demanded motor bikes from me," he added.

The complaint says that when Yadav refused to comply with in-laws' constant demands, they came after him with vengeance. In course of a heated argument in June, Shahiba allegedly warned Yadav of dire consequences if he refused to yield, and even asked him to stay away from her. Yadav added that a few days after their altercation, his in-laws attacked him on four separate occasions.

Indifferent cops
Yadav further complained that when he approached the police for help, they thrashed him. He learnt that Shahiba had registered a complaint against him for blackmailing, kidnapping, raping and hooliganism.

"When I insisted, they registered seven NCs (copies available with MiD DAY) against my in-laws. However, after each NC was registered, my in-laws would assault me. Fed up of their assaults, I filed a criminal petition against them under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC at Borivli Court," claimed Yadav.

After hearing Yadav's petition on October 21, the court ordered the Dindoshi police to initiate investigations against all the 11 accused, including Shahiba.

The Other Side
"He is a liar and a maniac. Come to our area and check with our neighbours, they will tell you the truth. He tortures my sister. People maintain a distance from him because of his strange ways. My family is fed up with his antics. I lost my father to his torture. He had forced my sister to marry him, as he was fighting her case free of cost," said Shoeb Ansari, Shahiba's brother.