FIR filed in Noida against Karnataka IPS officer over alleged dowry harassment and domestic violence by his wife. Officer denies all claims, cites domestic abuse, and has initiated divorce proceedings.
Noida: In a high-profile case in Noida, a FIR has been registered against a Karnataka cadre IPS officer and six members of his family by his wife, a practising doctor, who alleges dowry harassment, mental cruelty, and physical abuse. The officer, serving as SP in KGF, has denied all charges, claiming that he has been subjected to domestic violence by his wife and her family. He has also initiated divorce proceedings and vowed to step down from his post if even a single allegation against him is proved.
The case has drawn attention to disputes involving elite officers, alleged misuse of power, and the challenges of resolving domestic conflicts that involve significant financial and familial expectations.
Wife Alleges Years of Harassment and Dowry Demands
According to the FIR filed at Sector 126 police station, Dr Kriti Singh stated that she has faced continuous abuse and harassment since her marriage to Shivanshu Rajput on 9 December 2021. In her complaint, she named her husband, his parents, Ram Kash Rajput and Asha Rajput, his brother Himanshu Rajput, sister-in-law Reena Singh, and two family associates, Tushar Srivastava and Vibhor Srivastava, as parties responsible for her suffering.
Dr Singh, currently living in Noida with her two-year-old son, claimed that her family had spent around ₹1.4 crore on the wedding, including gifts, jewellery, and a cash dowry of ₹20 lakh, allegedly demanded by her in-laws. She accused her husband and his family of verbal abuse, physical assault, mental harassment, and discriminatory remarks about her appearance. She also alleged that her father was coerced into buying a ₹19 lakh car for Rajput’s family and pressured to contribute ₹40 lakh for a plot in Kanpur.
In her FIR, Dr Singh stated, “He repeatedly reminded me that he was an IPS officer and no one could challenge him. They threatened to ruin our lives if my family did not meet their demands.” She also alleged that her husband maintained extramarital relationships and misused his official authority to intimidate her parents.
The FIR invoked several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including cruelty by husband or relatives (Section 85), abetment of suicide or harassment (115(2)), criminal intimidation (351(2)), voluntarily causing hurt (352), acts of criminal conspiracy (3(5)), and criminal breach of trust (316(2)), along with Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.
IPS Officer Refutes Allegations, Claims Harassment
Shivanshu Rajput, a 2019-batch IPS officer, denied all allegations, claiming he had been subjected to abuse and harassment by Dr Singh and her family. He recounted attempts to resolve disputes amicably, including a family meeting in Bengaluru on 31 December 2023, which aimed to settle differences over finances and interference from relatives.
Rajput also mentioned an incident at his father-in-law’s retirement function in Ahmedabad in August 2024, where he was allegedly pressured to match income levels in government service. He stated that he refused to engage in malpractice for financial gain, which caused further tension.
He said that his wife had stayed away in Ahmedabad for a study course from March 2024 and returned in August 2024, after which disagreements intensified over the presence of his brother and sister-in-law at their home. Rajput described a confrontation on 14 September 2024, during which he alleged that Dr Singh and her mother assaulted him and damaged his phone. He claims to have video recordings of this incident.
The officer added that both families had later agreed on a mutual separation, and he filed for divorce in Kanpur in November 2024. Rajput claimed he had presented evidence refuting the dowry allegations at every stage and said family mediation had confirmed that he had never abused his wife.
Counter-FIR Lodged Against Dr Singh
Rajput also alleged that Dr Singh had denied him access to their son after failed mediation attempts at the DCP office in Noida. In June, he filed a counter-FIR against her and her family in Bengaluru under sections including voluntarily causing hurt (115(2)), wrongful restraint (126(2)), intentional insult to provoke public disorder (352), and criminal intimidation (351(2)).
He accused his wife’s politically active mother of trying to damage his career and insisted that his sole aim was an amicable divorce and shared custody of their son.
“She initially agreed to a mutual separation but later changed her stance. As the wife, her complaints are taken seriously. I have evidence and recordings proving my innocence. If even one of her claims is validated, I will resign immediately,” Rajput stated.