Flight attendant suicide: Anissia's in-laws to be questioned tomorrow

The in-laws of a female flight attendant, who allegedly committed suicide last week in south Delhi's Panchsheel Park, will be questioned tomorrow, the police said today.

Anissia Batra, 39, who worked with a German airline, had jumped off the terrace of her residence on July 14. Her husband, Mayank Singhvi, was arrested on charges of dowry death.

A senior police officer said they have issued a notice to Mayank's parents, Sushma and RS Singhvi, and they have been called for questioning tomorrow at 4 pm.

A city court today refused to grant them protection from arrest. The couple was denied anticipatory bail by the court after it was told that the allegations against them were serious, Ishkaran Singh Bhandari, the lawyer of the woman's parents, said.

Mayank's parents had moved the anticipatory bail application, claiming that they had no role in the matter and any dispute between their son and daughter-in-law was their internal matter.

The couple was granted exemption from joining the probe by the court till today on personal grounds.

Anissia's family demanded the arrest of Mayank's parents.

"Asking them to join the probe is not enough. Mayank's parents should be arrested at the earliest. Police are under pressure because Mayank's family is quite influential and are related to senior lawyers," said a close confidante of the Batra family.

Anissia's family has alleged that the Singhvis did not even have the courtesy to convey condolences to them.

"They were not even present for the cremation. They did not even call us once to offer condolences," a family friend of Anissia said.

Anissia's family had submitted a complaint to the police on June 27 stating if anything happened to her, "it should be treated as a case of murder".

According to Anissia's friend, who did not wish to be named, the family had submitted a letter to Hauz Khas police station accusing Mayank and his family of physically torturing Anissia.

"I'm filing this report as a prevention against any harm which may come from my daughter's husband or in-laws to her safety or well-being. My daughter got married to Mr. Mayank Singhvi on 23 February 2016 at Delhi Cantt. He is a violent man. Ever since their marriage, he has been using physical force and beating her up. We have been keeping the matter quiet to keep the marriage alive but now his violence is becoming more frequent (sic)," the letter stated.

In the complaint filed, Anissia's family had also expressed fear that her husband and in-laws could harm her.

"They may physically harm her and show it as an accident or suicide. Kindly note that any harm to her will be directly attributable to plans made by my son-in-law and his parents (sic)," the letter stated.

Anissia's friend accused her husband and his parents of deviating the case.

"During the hearing today, Mayank's lawyers tried to deviate the case by saying that he gifted her BMW and expensive stuff," the friend alleged.