The Hindu : National : Woman ``raped'' by father-in-law awaits justice

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Friday, Oct 27, 2006
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Woman ``raped'' by father-in-law awaits justice

A mufti ruled that Shahnaz lost the right to be Samruddin's wife

Purnea (Bihar): While Imrana received justice from court after she was raped by her father-in-law in a village in Uttar Pradesh, another such victim in Bihar is awaiting the court's verdict.

Shahnaz Begum of Rahmatnagar village in Purnea district, was allegedly raped by her 60-year-old father-in-law Mohammad Asho. Her husband, Samruddin, without divorcing her, married another woman, her advocate Rajiv Sharan told PTI on Thursday.

Ms. Shahnaz in her application, filed in the Purnea court before the Chief Judicial Magistrate J.D. Mandiwal against her father-in-law and her husband in July this year, alleged that her father-in-law, as part of a "sinister design" sent his son to Mumbai to earn a livelihood immediately after her marriage in December last year.

In her husband's absence, her father-in-law made several attempts to molest her. She finally surrendered to escape regular beatings, her counsel alleged.

When she informed her husband about this, he did not come to her rescue and therefore Ms. Shahnaz had to return to her father's home in a neighbouring village.

Her father-in-law, however, exerted "pressure" on his son to compel her to return, he said.

Her husband finally took up the matter with the panchayat, which failed to resolve it. He then approached a mufti who ruled that since Ms. Shahnaz had physical contact with her father-in-law she had lost the right to be Mr. Samruddin's wife.

A fresh petition for early hearing of the case was filed in the same court in October. — PTI

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