Man does not inform wife about HIV before marriage, infects her; booked

This picture has been used for representational purposes.

An FIR was registered against a 26-year-old woman's husband and in-laws after she alleged he did not inform her before their wedding that he is HIV positive, because of which she got infected too. The FIR was registered following an order from the Panvel Judicial First Class Magistrate on January 3, The Times of India reported.

The 31-year-old husband, employed with the BMC, stays in Dombivli with his wife, who also alleged that the in-laws would taunt her for not being able to cook and do the household chores.

According to the police, the couple married in May 2017, after which she noticed that the man was falling ill and medicines quite often. He told her that he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and assured her that he would recover soon. Investigating officer API Anil Devale said that the woman alleged that her sister-in-law and her husband would verbally abuse her.

"In December 2017, her husband was hospitalized due to fever when her in-laws did not allow her to speak to the doctor treating him. Hence, she got suspicious. After discharge from hospital, she insisted on revealling the truth, when he disclosed that the he was HIV positive before marriage and was under medication. He requested her not to reveal it to her family," he added.

Devale also added that the woman later fell sick and was hospitalized, but the man refused to show her the medical report, leading to constant arguments and she moved to her maternal house in Kamothe. She told her parents about it after which they made her take the test that confirmed that she was infected. Her parent went on to seek legal advice and approached the Panvel Judicial First Class Magistrate.

The man has been charged with negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life under IPC section 269, malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life under section 270, punishment for voluntarily causing hurt under section 323, punishment for criminal breach of trust under section 406, cheating and dishonesty inducing delivery of property under section 420 and cruelty by husband and in-laws under section 498(A).

According to the police, they have not arrested the husband yet as they have not ascertained if he was infected before the marriage.

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