NCW Complaint

8/8/2019 NCW Complaint

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To, August 7, 2010

The Chairperson,

National Commission for Women

Gomti Nagar

Lucknow- 226010Uttar Pradesh

Subject: Complaint against harassment, illegal retention of properties and refusal to provide

maintenance

Dear Sir/Maam,

1. I, Meera Singh, aged 51 years, wife of late Mr. Udai Kumar Singh, resident of 53/54 ShastriNagar, Rakabganj, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, the complainant, draw your attention to thetreatment meted out to me and my daughters by my father-in-law, Mr. Satyendra Kumar

Singh and other family members particularly my eldest brother-in-law Mr. Ratan Kumar Singh

and his son Mr. Ashiwini Kumar Singh.

2. I was married to Mr. Udai Kumar Singh on June 18, 1978. After my marriage, I was staying withmy husband in Harchanpur, Raebareli. My husband expired on May 26, 1988. After the death

of my husband in 1988, I stayed with my father late Mr. Ratan Pal Singh for a few months in

Kolkata on account of the unsupportive nature of my father-in-law and the rest of the family

members. However, after a certain period of time I came back to Lucknow and decided to

reside at my current address so as to fully discharge the functions of a mother and caretakerof my children.

3. After the death of my husband, my father-in-law had taken possession of all the fixed depositcertificates and other investment receipts that my husband had drawn in favor of his four

daughters. Further, without my permission, he had also taken possession of all my jewellery

and other assets that was given to me as stridhan by my father late Mr. Ratan Pal Singh at the

time of my marriage. When I shifted to Lucknow, my father-in-law refused to provide any

financial assistance to me. It was only at the insistence of my father and after a lot of

persuasion that my father-in-law agreed to pay me a meager amount of Rupees Ten Thousand

per month, along with the basic food items, for the upbringing of four daughters and the

household expenses. This was despite the fact that my husband had, at all material times,

1/3rd

undivided share in the agricultural land situated at Mall, district Mallihabad and my

current residence. (A copy of the documents evidencing ownership of land transferred to my

name has been annexed to this complaint as Annexure A).


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4. Despite the abovesaid understanding, my father-in-law would cite all sorts of reasons andexcuses to show his inability to pay the monthly expenditure to me. At every such instance, I

was condemned for being a burden on my father-in-law and his family. He would also point

out the difficulties being faced by him in order to arrange for the monthly expenses for me

and my four daughters. I used to dread the coming of each month and the time when I had to

ask him for the monthly expenditure.

5. Other than the disappointing attitude of my father-in-law, my eldest brother in-law, Mr. RatanKumar Singh, his wife, Mrs. Shyama Singh and their son, Mr. Ashiwini Singh constantly

subjected me to humiliation and ill-treatment. They would pass sarcastic comments

particularly on my character and would even threaten to physically abuse me if I dared to

retort or say anything to them. I was forcibly made to cook all the meals for their family and

not allowed to move outside the house. My children were also not spared and were ridiculed

at every possible opportunity. There have been numerous instances, even till date, when my

brother-in-laws son, Mr. Ashiwini Kumar Singh has misbehaved with me and verbally abused

me, however neither my father-in-law nor my brother in-law have ever reprimanded him for

his uncalled behavior. At all times, instead of being sympathetic to my needs I was cursed and

put through all sorts of harassment which made it very difficult for me to stay with my

children at that place. However, I had no other choice since I had no other source of income to

support my daughters after the untimely demise of my husband. My father-in-law has always

deprived me and my daughters to what they were entitled to.

6. At that point of time, our current residence comprised only of ground floor, of which half wasoccupied by Mr. Ratan Kumar Singh (elder brother-in-law) and his family and other half was

shared by the family of Mr. Vijay Kumar Singh (younger brother-in-law) and me alongwith my

four daughters. Subsequently, my father-in-law got constructed another floor over the ground

floor. However, the aforesaid arrangement remained unchanged until my younger brother in-

law Mr. Vijay Kumar Singh sold his portion of the house to Mr. Ratan Kumar Singh and shifted

to another residence. At this point of time, Mr. Ratan Kumar Singh insisted me to shift to the

first floor. As a matter of fact, till date my brother-in-law is keen that I sell off my portion to

him at an unreasonable price so that he can later sell the entire residential plot at a much

higher price. He does not like me and my daughters staying with them in the same house

despite the fact that we have our separate portion and separate kitchen. However, it had not

been possible for them to take any adverse step due to the presence and support of my father

at all times with me.

7. Despite the financial difficulties, it was only with the support of my father Late Mr. Ratan PalSingh that I could manage to educate my four daughters (unmarried as on date) namely

Surabhi Singh, aged 29 years, Saumya Singh, aged 26 years, Saloni Singh, aged 25 years and

Shreya Singh, aged 20 years. The first three daughters are currently working while my

youngest daughter Shreya Singh is still pursuing her education.


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Kumar Singh knows a lot of influential people in Lucknow and they are fully aware that we will

not be able to move the court process successfully to our benefit. We dont wish to fight a

court case over a subject matter to which we are entitled to as per the law.

13. My daughters have grown and I want to get them married and settled. However, I do not havethe financial means for doing the same. Without my monthly allowance its been difficult for

me to pay for my youngest daughters education and work out my daily expenditure. With the

help of my father, since the past two years, Im engaged in a small business of selling sarees

and suits. The income is too meager to provide me with sufficient sustenance. Since 1988, my

father-in-law has been in possession of all stridhan and other belongings which I want to give

to my daughters.

14. My father-in-law refuses to give me and my daughters what is rightfully ours. They havesubjected me and my daughters to mental agony and harassment. We are no longer willing to

maintain any ties with them. I request you to intervene and initiate a settlement process or

any other remedy that may be available in order to direct my father-in-law to return all the

stridhan and other belongings / important documents under his possession, to provide me

with the arrears of monthly expenditure since June, 2009, effect a severance of the joint

family property and carry out partition of the properties. I am in dire need of money in order

to conduct the marriage of one my daughters, Saumya Singh, which is to take place in the

month of November. I hope you can assist us.

Thanking you,

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs. Meera Singh

Address: 53/53 Shastri Nagar

Rakabganj, Lucknow-226001

Uttar Pradesh

Mobile No: + 91 9918223147

Documents

NCW Complaint