The Uttar Pradesh police has got 14-day judicial custody of Nikki Bhati’s father-in-law, mother-in-law and brother-in-law in the dowry and murder case that has shook the nation to its core. The police earlier arrested all the four accused, including her husband in the case. A video of the accused beating, dragging the victim had surfaced on social media. The woman was seen running after being set on fire by her in-laws due to dowry in Greater Noida.
According to the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Sudhir Kumar, the family of the victim is still in shock and all the visuals related to the case have become viral on social media.
He said an investigation has been launched into the case. Police said several videos have gone viral on social media, but they have not recovered any such evidence. Meanwhile, the victim’s husband, Vipin Bhati, was shot in shot in the leg by the police on Sunday and was later admitted to the hospital. He was sent to 14-day judicial custody.
Vipin is accused of setting his wife on fire, who later succumbed to her injuries. He was also accused of frequently assaulting Nikki. However, Bhati denied the allegations, police said.
Gruesome details of the case
- Nikki Bhati was allegedly set ablaze by her in-laws on August 21. It was not something that happened suddenly, but she has been enduring the domestic violence for years.
- Nikki and her elder daughter were married in same family. Her father said that he reached the hospital after the elder daughter called him and informed about the incident. “I reached there as soon as my elder daughter called me..The doctor told me she is 70% burnt..We took her to Safdarjung Hospital. The doctor told me to take her back because she would not be able to survive,” he told ANI.
- The victim’s father sought the death penalty for Vipin, and said the two got married in 2016. However, soon after marriage, Vipin began harassing Nikki and asked for Rs 35 lakhs. “… She started her own work, and her husband began asking for the money she earned. I demand that the Court and CM give him the death penalty…” he added.
- The father also said that the constant demand of dowry led to her daughter’s death. He said Nikki’s mother-in-law poured kerosene while her husband set her on fire. “They kept asking for dowry; now their demands have been met. I just married my daughter as per tradition. Their dowry demands have been met now that my daughter has died. They demanded a car and tortured my daughter for that,” he added.
- The family of the women had already given Vipin and his family a Scorpio SUV, a Royal Enfield motorcycle, gold and cash. And yet, they were harassing Nikki seeking Rs 35 lakh more.
‘Societal pressure’ kept Nikki’s family silent
- The father also said they once brought Nikki and her sister Kanchan back home after some incidents of domestic violence. “…but because of societal pressure, they (in-laws) came and took her back on the promise of not repeating this. It continued. Now they have got what they wanted,” he said. The family said they remained mum fearing society.
- Meanwhile, showing no remorse on what happened, Nikki’s husband said he did not kill her and she died on her own. “I did not kill her. She died on her own.” When asked about the accusations of physical assault, he replied, “Husband and wife often have fights; it is very common…”
- It is being reported that Nikki’s Instagram presence with her sister infuriated Vipin, and when she told him that she wanted to open a beauty parlour, things became tense. This later went violent and Vipin and her mother allegedly set Nikki on fire.