MP Minister's kin in dowry net

Bhopal, Apr 27 (UNI) City police have registered a case against Madhya Pradesh Higher Education Minister Tukojirao Pawar's three Indore-resident relatives following a young software engineer's accusation relating to a dowry demand and death threat to her family.

''Following a complaint, a case was registered yesterday at the Mahila Police Station against groom Siddharth Shinde, his parents Prakashrao and Jaya. The Minister is not named in the FIR,'' Additional Superintendent of Police (New Bhopal) G K Pathak said today.

Meanwhile, Mr Pawar told UNI that he had not threatened the family.

''I did speak to Divya once over telephone and urged that any difference between the families be sorted out through personal interaction. Siddharth is my maternal cousin and relatives say that he is missing since yesterday afternoon and might have been abducted,'' he added.

On being asked why a police complaint had not been lodged, Mr Pawar said that the family was searching for him at the homes of relatives and friends.

Divya and Siddharth became close friends while working at a software company in Hyderabad. They were to be married yesterday at the local Gayatri Parivar temple but the groom's party failed to turn up as an alleged dowry demand of Rs 15 lakh was not met. The Indrapuri area-resident Tiwari family lodged the complaint last evening.

''Until yesterday morning, Siddharth kept saying that he was coming here for the marriage but could not be contacted over phone after that. I will never marry him. Mr Pawar threatened me over phone,'' said Divya.

UNI