All the harassment for Rs 12,500
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The court of Extra Assistant Commissioner AS Mukhim on Tuesday passed an order to give custody of a new born girl child (one month old) to her mother. The order after the mother moved court seeking custody over her child from her husband.
The court order came after Deepika Phukan, mother of Rubi Phukan (20), a resident of Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) Colony, Umiam, Ri-Bhoi district lodged an FIR with the Umiam Police Station on August 20 alleging that her husband Nirmal Paul of Nongrim Hills had forcibly taken away her daughter. The FIR was later forwarded to Laitumkhrah Police Station, the area of jurisdiction of the case.
Rubi, who was a student of class X at Gorkha Pathshala HS, Shillong, is alleged to have been enticed by Nirmal Paul who later married her at Mahadev Khola Temple, Shillong. The couple later registered their marriage at Tezpur Court, (Assam) on July 21, 2010 without the knowledge of Rubi’s parents. “A classmate introduced
me to Nirmal, who is working as a sales boy with Parle Company,” Rubi said adding that she could not complete her studies after eloping with him. Rubi is the only daughter of her parents.
After her marriage, Rubi moved to her husband’s house at Nongrim Hills and on July 25, 2011 delivered a girl child at Nazareth Hospital. Though 50% of the hospital expenditure of Rs 25,000 was borne by Rubi’s parents the remaining 50% (Rs 12,500) was borne by her in-laws. But after she returned to her in-laws on being discharged from hospital, Rubi called her parents within four days and informed that her health condition was deteriorating for want of care. She alleged that her husband and in-laws demanded the hospital expenditure they had borne at the time of her release. Her mother who reached her in-laws house the next day found her to be in serious condition. On being advised by the doctor, her mother brought Rubi and her child to Umiam. Rubi narrated how her in-laws resorted to harassment. She said her husband badmouthed here and her family members. However, she returned to her in-laws house after a few days. But again on August 19, 2011 she had to return to her parent’s home because her husband had driven her and her child out from his house. “He has even warned my daughter that if she returns to her in-laws house again without the money, she would face serious consequences,” said Deepika.
However, Nirmal later visited Rubi’s parents and assured that he would stop harassing her. “On the basis of this assurance we sent her but he again drove her out but this time he kept the baby in his possession and threatened her that until his demands are fulfilled the baby would not be given to her,” said Afreen Begum, Rubi’s lawyer.
Rubi said that she will now seek divorce from her husband. Meanwhile, confirming the court order a source from Laitumkhrah PS said that he has sent his staff to the house of Nirmal to ensure that the baby is handed over to her mother, as per court order.