Pune cops fail to file an FIR in domestic abuse case, yet again

The Pune Police are in the dock once again for not registering a first information report (FIR). Even after repeated attempts to convince the Pune Police about the harrowing experience that 32-year-old Seema Lanke had to undergo at the hands of her husband and a medical report confirming multiple assault marks all over her body, including her private parts, the police are yet to register an FIR.

Seema, a resident of Kolwadi in Haveli, had filed a complaint against her husband, Prakash alias Nanabhau, with the Lonikand police on September 13 for allegedly abusing her.

Again on December 16 she approached the Vishrantwadi police, after she was allegedly inflicted 22 cuts all over the body by her husband. But the police are yet to register an FIR.

She has mentioned in the complaint that her life is under threat from her husband and his first wife. Earlier, the police had failed to lodge an FIR on a complaint filed with the Chinchwad police station in March by an engineering student, Jyotsna Bagul, who was later murdered by the same person whom she mentioned in the complaint.  

Police fail to file an FIR, yet again
Speaking to DNA, Seema alleged that her husband even hid the fact that he was already married to another woman and had three children. According to her, the woman, identified as Deepali, also held and gagged her when Prakash was inflicting injuries on her body with a knife.

Seema met Prakash in 2009 when she was in search of a job after completing her nursing course.

“Prakash took money from me promising a government job. He is connected with a political party. In the visits that followed, I noticed a woman named Deepali and three children in the house. He told me they are his elder brother’s wife and children,” she said.

She said Prakash visited her house with a marriage proposal and they got married in Alandi on March 8.

“From then my life turned upside down. I was then working in a Daund hospital and he used to take all the money I earned and gave me only Rs100 as travel expense. After three months, Prakash revealed to me that Deepali was his wife.”

She alleged that both started abusing and assaulting her, forcing her to file a complaint with the Lonikand Police on September 13.

“On December 12, when I had visited a jewellery shop in Yerawada, Prakash came there and snatched my cellphone and turned it off. He forcibly took me to his house. The moment I entered the house, Prakash and Deepali gagged me and started inflicting injuries all over my body with a knife. He even wrote his name on my right wrist,” Seema alleged.

She said the ordeal continued till she fell unconscious. “When I was trying to leave the next day, fearing that I will tell the torment to my parents, he tore my dress and abused me,” she said.

Seema managed to escape from the house on December 14 and narrated the incident to her parents. Along with her parents, she approached the Lonikand police, who directed her to file a complaint with the Vishrantwadi police saying that the incident took place in that jurisdiction.

“After filing the complaint on December 15, we were made to wait in the Vishrantwadi police station for more than three hours before they gave a note and directed me to visit Sassoon Hospital. I visited the station again with the medical report, but they did not file an FIR. I visited the station again on December 16, but they did not register an FIR. I have also approached the offices of commissioner and deputy commissioner of police,” Seema said.

According to the Sassoon Hospital medical report, a copy of which is with DNA, Seema has multiple abrasion assault marks all over her forearms, thigh and private parts.

Deputy commissioner of police (zone IV), Sanjay Jadhav said, “We have received the application. It is a case of non-cognizance and we will report the case.”

But when this reporter informed Jadhav that there were multiple injuries all over her body and private parts, the police official assured that an FIR would be filed and stringent action initiated against the victim’s husband.