Scientist asked to vacate flat for wife, two daughters

A scientist working in a private company at Hadapsar has been directed to vacate his flat and hand over its possession to his wife and two daughters whom he had been allegedly torturing. The order was passed recently by judicial magistrate (first class) VV Muglikar in the Cantonment Court.

The complainant Seema Patil (32) (name changed to protect identity) works with a reputed city college as co-ordinator. She had moved the court with lawyer Sunita Bansal against her husband Shirish (37) who works as a scientist in a Hadapsar-based medicine company.

She had filed a plaint against Shirish under relevant sections of Protection from Women under Domestic Violence Act. The couple had married in 2004 and has two daughters aged six and two years old.

Seema’s complaint stated: “I have been bearing physical and mental torture from my husband for the past 12 years. He is short-tempered and orthodox. In 2005, during my first pregnancy, my husband and my mother-in-law neglected my health due to which I had to face a miscarriage. A year later, I delivered a girl child and hoped everything will be good. But he taunted me as he desired a male child and harassed me. Following argument on this, he also beat me up. I had lodged a case against him with the Hadapsar police. My daughter was too young, so I had to live with him.”

The complaint stated that her husband even threatened her during second pregnancy to throw her out if she delivered a girl child. “A daughter was born to me and my ill-treatment began. On one occasion, I found pinching marks on my elder daughter’s stomach. When I asked her she said Shirish had done that and had told her to be silent. When I inquired Shirish about it he started abusing and beating me up. He forced me to work, but wanted his breakfast on time, otherwise he punish by scalding me with hot iron. He threw me out of my Hadapsar flat along with my two daughters. I had purchased the flat with my savings, bank loans and by mortgaging my gold jewellery in September 2010.”

Seema’s lawyer Sunita Bansal submitted the document that mentioned that the flat belonged to her and records of bank transaction. She argued, “It’s difficult for a woman to survive with two school-going daughters and reside in a rental flat. She was thrown out of the flat which belongs to her. This is injustice.”

Magistrate Muglikar has further directed Shirish to pay Rs2,000 each maintenance to two daughters and Rs5,000 compensation to Seema.