Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Jan 24: An MBA student has knocked on the door of Orissa State Commission for Women (OSCW) alleging that a man with whom she was living maintained physical relationship with her for two years on the promise of marriage before abandoning her in September.
A case has been lodged at the Karanjia police station, which earlier had refused to register the case, under section 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC.
“The police didn’t believe me at first and asked me to produce evidence of our live-in relationship. They wanted me to get a court affidavit of our house owner stating that we lived together,” said Shibani (name changed), a native of Mayurbhanj district.
Shibani said in her petition that she had come in contact with Jhareshwar Mohanty, 29, a native of Angul who worked as a sales executive with a private firm in the city, while pursuing her studies in the city.
Shibani alleged that Mohanty, whose father Jayaram Mohanty works as a driver in the Orissa Reserve Police Force, promised to marry her and maintained physical relationship for two years. The couple started living together in a flat near VSS Nagar.
“They were a nice couple and I never suspected that they are not married. It’s unfortunate that she has been left alone now,” a housewife who often visited them said on condition of anonymity.
Shibani claimed that when she developed a gynaecological problem in December 2013 and had to undergo surgery at AIIMS in the city, Mohanty had filled in medical forms claiming to be her husband. This, she said, is the only proof of their cohabitation. “We never took any picture together as I never suspected him,” Shibani said. “Whenever I would ask him to get our marriage registered in court, he would say we will marry with all rituals after convincing our parents,” she said.
Mohanty, however, left Shibani in September 2014 telling her that he had got a better job in another city and would return soon. “He promised to return in 15 days,” Shibani said. However, she did not hear from for two months. “I got anxious and approached his family in Angul. This is where we got the first shock. His father demanded `5 lakh as dowry to have our marriage soleminsed,” she said.
The OSCW is to hear the case in February but Shibani is pessimistic about Mohanty turning up.
