Mumbai, November 29: It has been 22 months since Bandra resident Manpreet Biji, 30, last saw her son Gurashish, who she alleges has been kidnapped by her husband, Nanak Singh. Manpreet, belonging to an upper middle-class family, had also alleged that her son might have been “done away” with by Singh. Biji now wants the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team to trace her son.
The Bombay High Court had, in July 2009, handed over investigation of the Biji case to the CBI. But the central investigation agency has remained clueless about the case for more than four months now. Manpreet has also alleged that she was thrown out by her in-laws from their Nashik house, following dowry demands.
Manpreet says that her in-laws are constantly in touch with her husband and are not cooperating with investigations. DN Salvi, counsel for the CBI, told DNA that the agency is trying to trace the child and they have been submitting progress reports in court in a “sealed envelope” regularly.
Manpreet, who married Nanak, a small-time businessman, had filed a habeas corpus in the HC last year, after the latter allegedly abducted their son Gurashish in January 2008. Manpreet had also alleged mental and physical torture by her husband and in-laws.
“I have this fear that my child may have been killed, but being a mother I still have hopes that one day I will get my son back and that I will be able to play with him again. I have no other goal left in my life,” said the young mother. Manpreet, who until last month had company of Priti Chugh — who too was fighting a case against her husband for abducting her three-year old son Sujal — is optimistic after the Maharashtra police found Sujal in just 10 days after the HC order in September this year.
“She (Priti) had once told me to keep faith in the judiciary. I will do just that,” said Manpreet. The case came up for hearing in the HC on Friday, where Singh’s father’s lawyer Subhash Jha sought two more weeks to get his clients to court. The division bench of Justice FI Rebello and Justice JH Bhatia has given one more chance to the husband’s family. Jha, on Friday, also told the court that he is trying to explore the possibility of a settlement.
“It has been almost two years. My daughter has lost the will to live. But we have faith in the judiciary and God,” said Manpreet’s mother, Jatinder Sethi.
–Agencies–