Mumbai: Madhuri Mafatlal, the 78-year old tenant of the Mafatlal Bungalow filed a case against her Daugher-in-Law under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act. The act was against the baseless accusations by Sheetal, Atulya Mafatlal's wife who had earlier lodged complaint against Madhuri for domestic violence.
The twist happened on tuesday when the Mafatlal martiarch approached the magistrate's court in Girgaum. She has requested to restrain Sheetal from entering the 10,000 Sq. Ft. second floor of the Mafatlal Bungalow where the family has been residing since early days. The bungalow was one of the top two Bungalows of the city till late. Madhuri is also seeking orders from preventing her daugher in law Sheetal from alienating her from any of her assets and committing acts of violence against her family and communicating with her.
In 2005 too, Madhuri was forced to move to court when the 'security guards appointed by Sheetal' was kept at the room doors of the 78 year old. She complained that this was pure violation of privacy and a great insult to the heir. This case was against both Atulya and Sheetal, and was also against making her dispossess the property.Following this, Sheetal had accused Madhuri of physically torturing her and beating her. Madhuri who suffers from Lung Fibrosis and needs 6 hours of oxygen a day to keep herself in shape and also a women who could not make more than a dozen steps was accused of physical torture.
Now Madhuri, expressing her fears of torture has requested the Girgaum court to restrain Sheetal and her relative and her servants from keeping contact with her and also mentioned that the daugher-in-law had filed in a false complaint against her. She also has requested protection from the court to avoid any action against her following the complaint from Sheetal which might result in dispossession of the property. She has been a tenant of this from 1954. The court has now appointed a protection officer to analyze the details of security and have issued notice to Sheetal and has postponed the case to September 8th for further hearing.
Events so far:
July 13: Marushka Mafatlal lodges a complaint with the Gamdevi police against her step-mother Sheetal, accusing her of removing paintings worth over Rs 50 crore from home without informing anyone. Police do not take action
July 21, 28: Marushka lodges further complaints against Sheetal. Still no police action
Aug 1: Marushka moves magistrate's court to seek police probe
Aug 10: Magistrate orders the Gamdevi police to register theft case against Sheetal
Aug 17: The police register FIR against Sheetal
Aug 17: The police record Sheetal's complaint of cruelty by husband and in-laws
Aug11: Madhuri and Ajay Mafatlal seek anticipatory bail
Aug 12: Court grants anticipatory bail to them
Aug 25: Marushka gets interim order against arrest. Matter pending
Aug 30: Madhuri moves Girgaum magistrate court with a complaint of domestic violence against Sheetal
