Delhi dowry death: Newlywed Akriti hid abuse, hoped job would end taunts, says brother

New Delhi: A 28-year-old newlywed Delhi woman, whose husband was arrested in connection with her alleged dowry death on Monday, had hoped that returning to work would help her gradually put an end to the taunts she faced at her matrimonial home, her brother said.

However, she hid much of the abuse until a day before her death, hoping that things would eventually improve, Amay Sutar, younger brother of Akriti Sutar, said.

According to him, Akriti believed that if she kept earning, saved enough money and gradually bought the household items over which she was allegedly taunted after her marriage, the harassment would eventually stop instead of burdening a family still recovering financially after her father's death in 2019.

Akriti married Arastu Sikka on April 24 after a two-year relationship. She resumed work as a sales executive at a private company in Chhatarpur on July 1 after taking a break for her wedding, her brother said.

Four days later, she was found dead after allegedly falling from the third floor of a building in Lodhi Colony.

Police have arrested Sikka under provisions relating to dowry death and cruelty by husband or relatives.

Investigators are examining CCTV footage, call records, phone data and other digital evidence to establish the circumstances leading to Akriti's death, while the role of other family members remains under investigation.

Amay said Akriti devoted herself to supporting the family after their father died of cancer and wanted to see her younger brother become financially independent. He said this was one of the reasons she insisted on continuing her job after marriage.

According to Akriti's family, Sikka's family had agreed before the wedding that she would continue working. But soon after the marriage, they allegedly changed their position, telling her there had never been any agreement allowing her to have a job.

Amay alleged that she was repeatedly taunted for not bringing enough household items from her parental home.

"They would say she hadn't brought even basic things like a bed, sofa, wardrobe, fridge or air-conditioner," he said, adding that Arastu's family indirectly demanded Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh.

Rather than asking her own family to fulfil those demands, Akriti believed she could solve the problem herself.

"She told me, 'You have just become financially stable. Don't burden yourself. I will keep working and slowly manage everything myself. Maybe then they will stop saying these things,'" Amay recalled.

The family initially believed the couple was going through ordinary marital disagreements. It was only on July 3, Amay said, that Akriti revealed the full extent of the alleged physical abuse, threats and repeated harassment she had endured over the previous weeks.

Looking back, Amay said they realised there had been signs they had failed to understand, as Akriti had become quieter after marriage and often insisted that everything was alright.

Investigators are examining a Google search recovered from Akriti's phone history.

Amay, however, claimed that his brother-in-law exercised complete control over his sister's phone.

"He used to check everything. Even if her password changed accidentally, he would accuse her of having an affair, abuse her and beat her," he alleged.

He also alleged that Sikka objected to Akriti speaking to her mother and brother over the phone and routinely questioned her over even minor changes to her mobile phone.

Amay further alleged that after Akriti informed her family about the abuse, Sikka threatened to have him assaulted and get him dismissed from his job if she continued discussing their marital problems with her family.

On July 4, Akriti left office but never reached home. When repeated calls to her phone went unanswered, the family began searching for her.

Later that night, a police officer answered a call made to her mobile phone and informed them that she had been admitted to hospital after allegedly falling from the third floor of an NDMC residential complex in Lodhi Colony.