Surat Woman's RTI Revelation Leads to FIR Against Husband for Bigamy and Dowry Demands
In a distressing case from Surat, a 33-year-old woman took decisive legal action after discovering her husband had entered into a second marriage without divorcing her. The woman, whose identity remains protected, learned that her spouse had not only remarried but also fathered a child with his new wife. Determined to establish the truth, she filed a Right to Information (RTI) application with local civic authorities to confirm the bigamy.
RTI Response Confirms Husband's Paternity, Triggers Legal Complaint
The reply to her RTI application provided crucial evidence, stating unequivocally that her husband was the father of the newborn boy. Armed with this official confirmation, the woman proceeded to file a First Information Report (FIR) with the Godadara police station. The FIR accuses her husband of bigamy and includes charges against her in-laws for demanding dowry and issuing threats.
Dowry Demands and Wedding Turmoil: A Harrowing Backstory
The FIR details a troubling sequence of events beginning with the couple's wedding plans in May 2019. Initially scheduled at Tulsi Party Plot in Godadara, the ceremony faced disruption when the groom's family demanded a substantial dowry. This included Rs 5 lakh in cash, a 15-gram gold ring, and a Bullet motorcycle. When the woman's father could not meet these demands, the groom and his family called off the wedding and left with the baarat.
However, after intervention from relatives, the marriage proceeded fifteen days later at a temple. The woman's father provided gold, silver, and household items as part of the settlement. Despite this, the marital home became a site of relentless harassment. The complainant alleges that her husband, along with his parents and sister, subjected her to constant pressure over insufficient dowry and made cruel remarks about her appearance.
Escalating Abuse and Abandonment
A year into the marriage, the woman gave birth to a baby girl, which only intensified the harassment. Her in-laws taunted her for not having a boy, and her husband expressed doubts about the child's paternity. The situation deteriorated further with alleged physical assaults, prompting the woman to return to her father's house in 2022. Subsequent attempts to reconcile were met with refusal from her husband, who declined to accept her and their daughter.
Discovery of Second Marriage and Legal Action
Meanwhile, the woman discovered that her husband had married another woman and welcomed a baby boy in August 2025 at a private hospital in Kadodara town. To gather concrete evidence, she filed another RTI application with the Kadodara municipality, seeking details about the newborn's father. The municipality's response confirmed her husband's paternity through birth registration records.
Bolstered by this evidence, the woman filed a comprehensive complaint under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The charges include domestic violence, bigamy, and criminal intimidation under Sections 85, 82(1), 351(3), 352, and 54, along with violations of the Dowry Prohibition Act under Sections 3 and 4. This case highlights the persistent issues of dowry harassment and bigamy in Indian society, showcasing how legal tools like RTI can empower victims to seek justice.
