The Bombay High Court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to self-styled godwoman Sukhwinder Kaur alias Radhe Maa, in a case pertaining to dowry demand and harassment.
Justice Revati Mohite-Dere granted her application for anticipatory bail on a personal bail bond of Rs.25,000 on the condition that she should not contact the complainant Nikki Gupta, who accused her of being complicit with her in-laws in harassing her and her family with demands for dowry.
Radhe Maa’s lawyer Abad Ponda argued that her name and allegations against her of instigating the complainant’s in-laws to demand money were an afterthought and were added later to the complainant’s petition in the family court as well as in the FIR.
The applicability of domestic violence Section 498A to Radhe Maa was also questioned in court. “Since the section talks of blood relative, the court appears to have held that the section is not applicable to her. Plus, there are no recoveries to be made from her,” advocate for the complainant told The Hindu.
Earlier, the court expressed surprise that the police had not called the complainant’s in-laws for questioning but were seeking the custody of Radhe Maa.
In August, a sessions court had rejected Radhe Maa’s anticipatory bail plea after which she approached the High Court.
