Delhi Police arrest husband, book sister-in-law after newlywed's death; dowry case registered

New Delhi: Delhi Police have arrested the husband of a 28-year-old woman and booked his sister in connection with her death after she allegedly fell from the third floor of a residential building in Lodhi Colony, officials said on Monday.

The accused have been identified as Arastu Sikka and his sister Augustika. The victim, Akriti, was found critically injured after the alleged fall from the NDMC residential complex at Palika Kunj on Saturday. She was taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where she was declared dead.

Police have registered an FIR under Sections 80(2) (dowry death), 85 (cruelty by husband or relatives of the husband) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Akriti's mother, Anusay Sutar, has alleged that her daughter was subjected to repeated harassment over an additional dowry demand of ₹20 lakh, pressured to give up her job, forced to have a child and physically assaulted during the brief marriage.

"My daughter was very strong. This is not suicide. This is a pre-planned murder," she alleged.

According to the complaint, Akriti had informed her in-laws before the marriage that she intended to continue working to support her family. However, her mother claimed that her husband's behaviour changed after the wedding and that he repeatedly harassed her when she attempted to resume work.

She further alleged that Arastu questioned Akriti's character, assaulted her with a belt over suspicions of an affair and once followed her to his sister Augustika's residence after an argument in an attempt to assault her.

The complainant also alleged that Augustika dismissed the concerns as "family matters" and said Akriti had been brought into the family to manage household chores and cook for her husband, rather than continue her career.

Akriti's brother, Deepu, said she had resumed work as a sales executive at a private company in Chhatarpur on July 1 after her April 24 wedding. He also alleged that she had faced sustained mental and physical harassment over dowry demands and claimed the incident was being portrayed as a suicide to protect those responsible.

Police sources said investigators have recovered Akriti's Google search history, which allegedly included a search for "how to die easily" made in May. Officials cautioned that the investigation is ongoing and no conclusions have been drawn from the digital evidence.

The victim's family said they were informed of her death around 10 pm on July 4 after a police officer from Lodhi Colony police station answered her mobile phone and asked them to come to the station.

Investigators are examining CCTV footage from the Palika Kunj residential complex to determine whether Akriti arrived alone or with someone else. They are also analysing her mobile phone records, call detail records and other digital evidence to establish her movements before the incident.

Police said the death occurred within seven years of marriage, making an inquest by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) mandatory. They added that the investigation is continuing and all possible angles are being examined.

(PTI)