M'rashtra NCP MLC, family booked for domestic violence

The Mumbai Police have booked NCP MLC Vidya Chavan and four of her family members in an alleged case of harassment, assault and cruelty to her daughter-in-law.

However, Chavan on Tuesday denied all the charges levelled against the family and accused the daughter-in-law of extra-marital affairs, demanding money and other acts of omission.

Besides Chavan, her husband Abhijeet, their two sons Anand and wife Sheetal, and Ajit (the complainant-victim's husband) have been booked by the Vile Parle Police under Indian Penal Code Sec. 498-A, 354, 323, 504, 506, 34 based on the victim's complaint filed on January 16.

No arrests have been made so far and further investigations are on, while the Chavan family was summoned and their statements recorded, said an official.

NCP national spokesperson and Minister Nawab Malik on Tuesday rejected allegations that the party was trying to shield its senior leader and MLC, and asserted that the law would take its course.

The complainant-victim has contended that Anand Chavan used to make lewd gestures and his wife Sheetal mentally harassed her when she lived with them at their home in Vile Parle.

The victim said that the problems started when she recently delivered a premature female child which died later. The Chavans allegedly wanted a male child since the couple already has a 7-year old daughter.

Among other things, Vidya Chavan and her family rubbished all the allegations by the victim, claimed she was not interested in living with her husband and her in-laws, and they are now taking care of the minor daughter.

Chavan told mediapersons on Tuesday that her engineer son Ajit has sought divorce by mutual consent after 10 years of marriage, but his wife lodged the police complaint.

The MLC added that one day when her daughter-in-law's WhatsApp stopped working and when Ajit got it repaired and checked her messages, he discovered that she was having extra-marital affairs with four men.

Later, Ajit revealed everything about his wife's alleged cheating to his family and his in-laws on December 7, and later even cancelled their plans to go to Denmark.

Chavan claimed that when confronted by her own family, the complainant had reportedly confessed to the affairs.IANS