Army Major who divorced over phone surrenders

CHANDIGARH: A Major of Indian Army, Arshad Zeeshan Siddiqui, who reportedly divorced his Chandigarh-based wife over phone by uttering "talaq, talaq, talaq", surrendered before the district court Chandigarh on Tuesday, after the Supreme Court (SC) had turned down his plea of granting stay on his arrest in a dowry case. Following his surrender, the officer was handed over to the crime against women cell of Chandigarh police for five days.
Major Arshad is facing charges under Section 498A (cruelty), 406 (breach of trust) of IPC.
DSP (crime against women), Kamaldeep of UT police said that Major Arshad, 35, is a native of Lucknow and was currently posted in Assam with the Army Aviation Corps.
Earlier, a complaint was filed by his wife Nazia in women cell of Chandigarh police in 2009 and later an FIR was registered on March 17, 2010 in Sector 26 police station.
Major Arshad had moved the Punjab and Haryana high court for anticipatory bail but on June 28, 2010, HC dismissed his plea. Later, he had moved an appeal before the SC, which dismissed his request last week.
In her complaint, Nazia, a resident of Chandigarh, had levelled allegations of cruelty and harassment on account of dowry against her husband. According to the complaint, Major Arshad had even threatened to seek divorce and in fact, he unilaterally obtained divorce from her.
It was also alleged that some amount of dowry was paid by the father of the complainant even by cheques due to pressure of the officer. Nazia had married Major Arshad in 2006 and in 2007, she delivered a baby boy. After three months of the delivery, she was sent back to her parent's house.
According to Nazia, when she approached the commanding officer (CO) about the behaviour of Major Arshad, she was told by the CO that Major Arshad had informed the unit about his divorce. However, Nazia has been claiming that she was never divorced by her husband. In Army records, Major Arshad had also produced 'talaqnama' as evidence of the divorce from Nazia.