Vakar Danish Anwar husband of Jaya Bhandari, who had lodged an FIR accusing him of torturing her to change her religion after they got married, surrendered before a Ranchi court along with his father Anwarul Haque on Friday. Anwar and his family rejected the allegations made by Bhandari before surrendering.
Danish said that they never tortured her for anything. “We have not forced her for changing religion. She has changed her religion on her own. We have an affidavit supporting the fact. She also used to indulge in taking intoxicating stuff,” Danish was quoted as saying. The accused and his father were sent to 14 days judicial custody after their surrender.
The 26-year-old girl had approached Mahila Thana (Women’s Police Station) on Thursday with a complaint against her husband and his family, who belong to a minority community. In the three-page complaint lodged by Bhandari, she has accused her husband of luring her into marriage and then reneging on promises of not forcing to convert. The girl alleged that she was forced to solemnise marriage through ‘nikah’ on December 31, 2013, within two months of their marriage at a temple in Ratu near Ranchi.
According to Bhandari, the marriage took ugly turn with each passing day leading to conversion, sexual abuse and physical assault. The girl, however, claimed to know the community of her husband prior to tying knot and also said that the accused had assured of not forcing to change the religion. Meanwhile, National shooter Tara Shahdeo also visited Bhandari at the Hotel Raj Residency in Ranchi, where she is currently working as a receptionist. Shahdeo had faced similar circumstances a few months back and alleged that her husband Ranjit Singh Kohli alias Raqibul Hassan along with his mother Kaushal Rani tortured her after she refused to embrace Islam. An FIR was also lodged at Hindpiri police station in this regard.
“Although I am facing similar circumstances, I have assured to give all possible support to her,” said Shahdeo.