IFS officer accused of dowry harassment by K'taka IPS officer wife calls charges fake

IFS officer Niteen Subhash Yeola who has been accused by his wife and IPS officer Vartika Katiyar of dowry harassment has, in his statement to Delhi police called the complaint “completely malicious, false and an afterthought in pursuance of the proceedings'' that were previously initiated by him. He has also alleged that the complaint filed by Vartika at the Cubbon Park police station in Bengaluru was an attempt to subvert the ongoing judicial process and malign his image when a divorce and custody case is ongoing. Niteen is a Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs and his wife Vartika is serving as Superintendent at KSRP Training and Research Centre.

Alleging that Vartika is not allowing him access to their seven-year-old son since March 2019, Niteen has said that it is detrimental to the development of the child. In the letter, he has also given detailed responses to specific allegations made by Vartika against him and his family while questioning why, as an IPS officer who is well aware of law, Vartika did not mention any charges of harassment from 2011 till now.

Responding to allegations that Niteen and his family had demanded dowry from Vartika and her family at the time of their wedding, Niteen has said that the couple were married in a simple ceremony in the bride’s father’s residence in Maharashtra and all expenses were borne by both the families. He also has denied her statement that gold was demanded by her family as dowry and says that his family gifted her jewellery worth Rs 5 lakhs.

On January 2, Vartika had filed a police complaint in the Cubbon Park police station in Bengaluru in which Niteen and six other family members were accused of dowry harassment.

In her complaint, she had accused them of physical assault and mental trauma. The case was transferred to Delhi since the complainant had alleged that it is where the incidents mentioned took place.

Referring to Vartika’s accusations that Niteen assaulted her, Niteen in his statement to Delhi police denies the same. He has also denied the accusations made that during her pregnancy, Vartika was forced by Niteen’s family to travel to Lucknow for the childbirth. He has alleged that the decision was imposed by Vartika’s mother.

Producing a few excerpts of WhatsApp conversations as well as records from NIMHANS, Niteen has alleged that Vartika has severe anger-related behavioral issues.

Hearing for the divorce and child custody petitions are ongoing at the Patiala House Court and the Parliament Street police in Delhi are probing the allegations of dowry harassment made by Vartika.