Tripura: IAS officer accused of torturing wife over dowry, denies claims saying, "attempt to malign my name"

Pradeep K, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer currently serving as Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Belonia Sub-division in Tripura’s South District, has been accused of allegedly torturing, abuse and demanding dowry from his wife.

However, the IAS officer denied the allegations, stating that all such claims are pre-planned and intended to harass him in an effort to malign his name.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, M.J. Difi, the wife of the IAS officer, claimed that she married Pradeep K in March 2022.  

“We lived together for only three months, and during that time, there were constant dowry demands from his family. My father gave them whatever was possible, even before the marriage. A piece of land was also purchased for them. However, their greed kept increasing day by day. After December 2022, he completely blocked all communication with me. My parents tried to resolve the matter and approached his family, but they refused to talk as they were only interested in money. They kept making more dowry demands. Whenever we tried to speak with him through various means, he would always say that he needed some time,” she told reporters.  

Difi further alleged that in October 2023, when she went to the IAS officer’s residence in Tamil Nadu, his mother threw her luggage outside the house and locked the door.  

“I had to spend the night in front of the house. Since my studies and internship were completed, I came to Belonia on January 8 this year to confront him. I went to his official quarters along with my father. When we entered, he started slandering us and threatened to file fake and fabricated cases against us, claiming he had power in the area as the ADM. My father left the premises, and then he physically assaulted me, tortured me, and pushed me against the wall.  

When I sought help and called the police, the officer hung up the call upon learning that he was the ADM. He then began telling others that I had attacked him. When he pushed a door against me, my hand got fractured,” she claimed.  

Difi, who is an MBBS graduate, said that no case was filed initially after the incident on January 8. However, an FIR was registered yesterday at the Belonia Police Station.  
 “I want justice. The government must take action against him,” she said.  

The Police has confirmed that the FIR was registered with the Belonia Women Police Station.

Reacting to the matter, Pradeep K, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, told India Today NE that he has maintained a physical distance from her for the past two years, as she began abusing him shortly after their wedding. 

“In the press conference, she raised numerous allegations, including contradictory statements. She filed a domestic violence petition five months ago in Kerala, where she is pursuing her MBBS. However, I have not been in touch with her for over two years. We received an order to maintain a distance and not to disturb her, so we didn’t go there for three years. She has no proof to back her claims. Suddenly, she appeared with a bag and created issues, attempting to provoke me so that I would be forced to react. Many people were present at the time and witnessed what happened. People were at my place in Belonia when I decided to leave, and she followed me, pulling my shirt and causing a ruckus. They are doing this just to tarnish my image, which they have already succeeded in doing. She is making random statements, and her family is pressuring me to live with her. She has abused both me and my parents in the past, which is why I decided to stay away from her,” he added.