M A I N   N E W S

Gurgaon CJM booked for wife’s death
Sumedha Sharma
Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, July 20
The police today booked Gurgaon Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Ravneet Garg and his family for the alleged harassment and death of his wife Geetanjali.

Garg and his parents were booked under penal provisions for murder and common intent in the FIR lodged in the early hours of Saturday.

In the two-page complaint, the deceased’s brother Pradeep Aggarwal has accused the trio of harassing the 24-year-old for not being able to bear a male child.

“We had fulfilled all their demands when my sister got married to Ravneet at a lavish ceremony in Panchkula in 2007. She had strained relations with her in-laws and was continuously harassed. Things turned worse when she gave birth to two daughters, but was unable to give birth to a male heir to the family.

Of late, she was very tense and had talked to her sisters about the increased harassment from the family,” reads the FIR.

Aggarwal dismissed the initial theory of suicide and expressed doubts on the ongoing investigations by the local police. “She was a strong, confident and an educated woman who would not kill herself. We do not trust the local police as Ravneet, who is posted here, can influence them. So the case should be investigated by an independent agency like the CBI,” said Aggarwal in the report.

“They are trying to hush up the case. The police wasted our entire day and an FIR could be registered only at 2.30 am. In the normal scenario, when such a complaint is filed the accused is taken into custody. But the police has made no such move and not even questioned Ravneet so far. We want a fair investigation,” said OP Aggarwal, Geetanjali’s father.

Even after three days of the incident, the police failed to confirm whether it was a case of murder or suicide.

“Ravneet Garg has been asked to join investigation. He was on his way back from Panchkula. He claimed to have stuck in a traffic jam. We have already recorded statements of the persons like his driver. He is expected to be questioned tonight,” said Alok Mittal, Commissioner of police.

Repeated attempts to contact Ravneet proved futile.

Geetanjali was found dead with three bullet injury marks on Wednesday evening. Garg's licenced revolver was found near the body.