Rs 12 cr wedding, Rs 10 cr jewels, a BMW & Rolex! HC allows CCB to probe high-profile dowry case

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The High Court has allowed the City Crime Branch (CCB), which is not considered a police station, to probe an alleged case of dowry and harassment in a high-profile marriage.

The HC said the CCB could investigate and file a report or charge sheet, even though it was not a police station.

“There is no second opinion in this regard that CCB is not a police station and the notification of the government says the officers working in the CCB are the superior officers of the incharge police station, only for the purpose of investigation and investigating the heinous offences. Therefore, it cannot be said that CCB is a police station, but the officers are meant to investigate the matters, and in view of the notification of the state, once they have appointed or identified as investigating officers, they can file the final report/ charge sheet,” the HC ruled.

The high-profile case was initiated by a complaint by one Esha Raj, daughter of Jodhraj and Chanchal. Jodhraj is said to be a big businessman in the Jain community.

Esha was engaged to Ditul Mehta in 2010 at the ITC Gardenia Hotel. The pre-wedding shopping was done in Jaipur, Kolkata and Milan. The bride’s family agreed to give Mehta a BMW 5 Series car which he demanded. He was also given gold and silver articles as dowry.

The marriage took place in November 2010 in Bengaluru which is said to have cost Rs.12 crore. Diamond jewellery, a Rolex watch, artifacts, a camera, a home theatre, and other household items were said to be given to the groom at the wedding.

Esha, however complained that her husband, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law demanded more dowry. Her father gifted her a property from which the rents received from tenants amounted to Rs.5,99,00,000.

Jewels worth Rs.10 crore belonging to Esha were said to be kept in custody by her in-laws. Esha’s jewellery was given to her sister-in-law Anu Mehta, which was allegedly not returned.

She alleged that her husband had an illicit relationship with some other woman. She also alleged that her brother-in-law tried to misbehave with her to which her husband did not object.

She alleged that Rs.6 crore was given to her in-laws by her father through cheques. Apart from this, she alleged cruelty and harassment at the hands of her husband’s family.

The complaint was filed before the Commissioner of Police and the investigation was taken by the CCB police who filed a charge sheet.