Chilling details emerge after Pan masala tycoon’s daughter-in-law’s suicide; husband, mother-in-law booked

New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) Delhi Police registered an FIR against the husband and mother-in-law of Deepti Chaurasia, daughter-in-law of Kamla Pasand pan masala owner Kamal Kishor Chaurasia, days after she was found hanging at her southwest Delhi residence, an official said on Saturday.

The 38-year-old was discovered dead in the dressing room of her Vasant Vihar home on the afternoon of November 25. Her husband rushed her to a hospital, where she was declared dead.

A case under Sections 108 (abetment of suicide) and 3(5) (joint liability) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was lodged on Friday against her husband, Arpit Chaurasia, and mother-in-law, Usha Chaurasia, based on a complaint filed by Deepti’s mother at Vasant Vihar police station.

In her statement, Deepti’s mother, Sharda, said Deepti married Arpit in 2010 in an arranged marriage and that the trail of abuse began soon after.

“In February-March 2011, Arpit Chaurasia and his mother, Usha Chaurasia, dragged my daughter down from the first floor and started abusing and beating her, even though she was pregnant at that time. When Dipti told us this, we came to Delhi and went to her house. The family members apologised with folded hands and said that this will not happen again; hence, the matter was resolved between both families,” Sharda’s statement read.

She alleged that a month after her grandson’s birth, Deepti found out that Arpit was having an extra-marital affair in Mumbai and had also illegally married another woman with whom he had an illegitimate daughter.

According to the statement, Arpit consumed alcohol and drugs and subjected Deepti to physical and mental harassment.

Following this, Sharda took Deepti and her grandson to Howrah. However, Arpit’s family soon came and apologised, promising that they would not repeat the mistake. Deepti’s family also took a written assurance regarding this from Aprit.

Sharda added that after a brief period of calm, the abuse resumed.

“My daughter told me all this, and her mother-in-law also started mistreating her. She continued to mentally abuse my daughter and defame her by saying bad things about her in society. She remained alone at home and was not invited to any social functions. Arpit also consumes alcohol and drugs. Even after that, he continued to abuse Dipti, and my daughter suffered, seeing her son’s face,” she alleged.

“Whenever Arpit went anywhere, he would not tell Dipti, and his mother-in-law would say, ‘Don’t question my son wherever he goes.’ He would come at random times, between 12 and 1 a.m., and misbehave with her. Then their daughter was born. Arpit kept multiple locks on his mobile phone and never gave it to Dipti,” Sharda added.

According to the complaint, the situation escalated in April 2024.

In April 2024, Deepti had read the obscene videos, photos and chats on Arpit’s phone. Following this, she returned to her parents’ home with her children. Soon, Arpit’s mother came and reassured Deepti’s parents that this would not be repeated.

However, according to Sharda, the abuse resumed again. “After 2-3 months, Arpit again started behaving badly… On November 25, Dipti called me at 7:30 a.m., and first she asked about her father and then told me that both of them had a big fight over their son’s mobile. We explained to her that minor fights happen and told her to calm down. I then disconnected the call, took a bath and started praying at home,” she said.

“At 11:30 a.m., I called Deepti… She did not answer the call. After calling her continuously for 30 minutes, she did not receive the call, so we called her mother-in-law. She said she was at the airport and did not know anything. Then I called Arpit. He said he was going home from the gym. Around 12 noon, I got a call from my cousin brother that Deepti was in the hospital and had passed away. We were called to Holy Angel Hospital, Vasant Vihar. When we reached there, we saw Dipti dead,” she added.

Sharda accused Arpit and Usha of prolonged torture.

“My daughter was tortured so much by Arpit Chaurasia and Usha Chaurasia that I feel that due to torture, mental and physical beatings, my daughter was forced to commit suicide. Legal action should be taken against all these accused because of whom my daughter died,” she said.

“I want justice for my daughter. I also request that an investigation should be done from all angles and a CBI inquiry,” her statement concluded.

–IANS

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