Dowry FIR to taint image, will step down if guilty: DUSU prez

Delhi University students' union president Satender Awana, against whom an FIR was filed in a dowry dispute case involving two families, today refuted the charge, saying he will step down from the post if found guilty.
An FIR was registered against the ABVP student leader and his father at a Noida police station on February 12 on a complaint by a woman following a dispute between her family and her in-laws allegedly over dowry.
"The woman has referred to me as her brother-in-law while levelling allegation of dowry against me. I have nothing to do with her in laws' family, although I know them as fellow villagers from my native village Harola in Noida," he said.

"On the night of February 12, I had gone to Sector 19 residence of one Mohit of my village who was married to the complainant woman. Her family and their supporters had attacked Mohit's family and I had tried to intervene even though police was present there," Awana said.
He said Mohit was married to the woman in May last year and the two families had some domestic dispute.
"Last year a panchayat was held to settle the dispute where the woman's family had alleged Mohit to be physically unfit but dowry demand was never raised," he said.

Claiming that the FIR against him and his father was "an attempt to tarnish his family's political and social image", Awana said he will file a defamation case against the complainant.

He also hit back at student organisations seeking his resignation in the light of the dowry allegations.
"Why did these organisations not ask for Kanhaiya's resignation when he was charged with sedition. I will step down if allegations against me are proved," the DUSU president said.