The Bombay high court will decide on controversial godwoman Radhe Maa aka Sukhwinder Kaur’s plea for pre-arrest bail on Thursday. Justice Revati Mohite Dere on Wednesday reserved the case for orders.
The state, meanwhile told the court that while provisions of the anti-dowry law (section 498 A) were not applicable as Kaur was not a relative, they wanted her custody to inquire about the stridhan.
Kaur had moved the courts for pre-arrest bail after a Mumbai-based woman Nikki Gupta filed a dowry harassment complaint against her husband and in laws. She had named the godwoman for instigating her in laws. She alleged that her in laws had harassed her and demanded dowry at Kaur’s behest. Kaur’s anticipatory bail application was rejected by a sessions court. Last month, on August 14, the HC granted interim anticipatory bail of Rs 20,000 to the godwoman.
The woman’s lawyers claimed that she had parted with her jewellery and ornaments after her in laws told her that Kaur, who claimed to be a god, wanted it to perform a puja. Kaur, denied the allegations in her petition, and claimed that the complaint against her was an afterthought as in the initial complaint before the family court there was no allegation against her.