Mid Day
 
Mumbai, Mar 19: Call centre employee Poonam Yadav (25) committed suicide by hanging herself at her parents’ home at Shantivan in Bhayandar on Wednesday, after her husband Rajesh (27), who works in the same BPO, got married again.

Rajesh, his parents and sister were arrested on Thursday for abetment of suicide. While his mother and sister got bail on Saturday, Rajesh and his father were sent to judicial custody.

Poonam hailed from a middle class Marwari family and had an affair with Rajesh, who is from UP, for seven years. On October 23, 2006, the couple tied the knot.

However, Rajesh’s parents did not accept Poonam as she was not from their community, so the two moved to a flat owned by Poonam at Gaurav Residency in Mira Road.

The police said after the marriage, Poonam used to frequently get threat calls from her in-laws, who wanted Rajesh to marry a rich girl from their community.

On December 4, Rajesh went to his native place in Uttar Pradesh, where he got married to Amrita Saxena (name changed), a girl chosen by his parents.

He allegedly got Rs 10 lac in cash, a new car and jewellery as dowry. On his return to Mumbai, Rajesh began ignoring Poonam and started staying with his parents.

When Poonam came to know from one of Rajesh’s relatives about his second marriage, she confronted him. Admitting it, Rajesh told Poonam to accept his new wife so that the three could live together.

Infuriated, she lodged a police complaint at the Mira Road Police Station on March 1. Rajesh, his parents and sister were arrested the same day, but released two days later.

Poonam charged him of bigamy and also pressed harassment for dowry and criminal charges against him and his family.

‘She loved him’

Poonam’s father Ravi Pareek (52) said, “Rajesh hardly stayed with my daughter after he came from UP in December.

I want justice. My daughter loved Rajesh so much, but he gave her death.”

Poonam was the eldest of three sisters.