Pan masala baron’s daughter-in-law endured years of abuse, dragged and assaulted during pregnancy: FIR

Deepti Chaurasia suicide case

The daughter-in-law of pan masala baron Kamal Kishore Chaurasia was allegedly subjected to years of abuse, including being dragged and assaulted while pregnant, according to an FIR filed by her mother after the woman's apparent suicide.

Deepti Chaurasia, 38, was found hanging in her home in Delhi's Vasant Vihar on November 25. Her mother subsequently filed a complaint with the Delhi Police, leading to a case being registered against Deepti's husband, Arpit, and her mother-in-law for abetment of suicide and cruelty.

The FIR paints a picture of sustained mental and physical abuse, social isolation and repeated humiliation.

Mother seeks CBI probe

According to her mother’s complaint, the circumstances of her death raise serious concerns, prompting her demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. Police have taken cognisance of the allegations, and the case is now under detailed examination.

According to a report by News18, the FIR outlines distressing incidents dating back more than a decade. In early 2011, while Deepti was pregnant, her husband and mother-in-law allegedly dragged her from the first floor of their home and assaulted her. Shocked by the violence, Deepti informed her mother, who travelled to Delhi with other family members. The in-laws apologised at the time, assuring the family that such behaviour would never be repeated.

A month after giving birth to her son, Deepti allegedly discovered evidence of her husband’s extramarital affair. Her parents then brought her and the newborn back to Howrah in West Bengal. About a year later, the in-laws reportedly visited and urged the family not to discuss the matter socially, promising to look after her. She returned to Delhi only after her husband provided a written assurance stating he would not harm her again.

Despite earlier promises, the FIR states that the abuse resumed after two to three years. Deepti was allegedly mistreated, maligned in social circles, excluded from family events and frequently left alone at home. Her husband reportedly kept his phone locked with multiple passwords, preventing her from accessing it. In April 2024, with her husband away in Dubai, she managed to open his phone and allegedly found obscene content, triggering another confrontation.

On the morning of 25 November, Deepti called her mother at around 7:30 am, saying she had argued with her husband over her son’s mobile phone. Subsequent attempts to contact her went unanswered. Her mother-in-law later claimed she was at the airport, while Arpit allegedly said he was returning from the gym. Around noon, the family received a call that Deepti had been taken to hospital, where doctors declared her dead.