Gujarat court superintendent arrested in dowry case

A civil court superintendent and his family were arrested by the city police on charges of demanding dowry on Monday, after his daughter-in-law alleged that the family asked for Rs5 lakh as dowry two days after her marriage. She has also claimed that she was tortured and mentally harassed.

Kavita Kantharia, originally from Surat, had lodged a complaint with the women's police station in Surat on February 4, accusing her husband Chetan Kantharia, a resident of Satellite in Ahmedabad, father-in-law Himmat Kantharia who works as a superintendent of civil court in Bhadra, mother-in-law Ranjan Kantharia and brothers-in-law Piyush and Darsheel Kantharia of dowry.

"The victim has alleged that her in-laws demanded Rs5 lakh to start a business. The case was transferred to us from Surat since the accused live in Satellite area. We arrested all the accused and produced them before court, from where they were released on bail," said sub-inspector MB Gavit, Satellite police station.

According to police, the victim's in-laws allegedly started suspecting her character after she was found to be six weeks pregnant a few days after marriage. However, police said they are yet to investigate the allegations.