Hyderabad: Days after the wife of an army officer committed suicide, North zone police have been struggling to get information on officer. Major Vaibhav Vishal is currently serving in the 54th Infantry Division. Sandhya Singh, a radio jockey, was found hanging at their official quarters under Bolarum police station limits last week. Police had earlier said that the two had a love marriage and that the girl belonged to a Scheduled Castes (SC) community of Uttar Pradesh.
Based on information provided by Major Vishal, the police had registered a case of suicide. However, Sandhya’s family had alleged that he was harassing her for dowry, after which he was booked under Section 304 (B) (dowry death), and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act at Bolarum police station.
After an initial communication from the army, which said the suspect is in the Intensive Care Unit, no other information has been passed on so far. As the charges slapped against the officer are extremely serious, the police have a provision to immediately arrest him. But Army officials, who are not even ready to reveal what health problems the major is suffering from, are not allowing the cops to proceed.
After he was accused of demanding dowry and harassing his wife, the officer got admitted to the army hospital before the police reached his house. The police were not allowed inside the Army premises. The investigation official then submitted a case report in the local court, and also sent an official letter to the concerned army officer, after which they got a response.
Sources say the suspect can avoid arrest as long as he is inside the Army area.
However, he may not get anticipatory bail in the case because it is a non-bailable offence. North zone Deputy Commissioner of Police B. Sumathi said, “We are still waiting for an official communication from Army officials regarding of his release from the military hospital. Once he is released from hospital, he will be arrested and produced in court.”
