Mandsaur Joint Collector Faces Dowry and Forced Abortion Allegations from Wife

Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh: Joint Collector Rahul Chauhan of Mandsaur is facing serious allegations of dowry harassment and forced abortion from his wife, Nirmala Chauhan. Nirmala filed an FIR at the Indore Women’s Police Station, claiming that her husband subjected her to physical and mental abuse over dowry demands.

Marriage in 2018
Nirmala (32) and Rahul Chauhan got married on 16th December 2018, when Rahul was a trainee Deputy Collector. According to Nirmala, the abuse began immediately after the wedding, with her husband expressing dissatisfaction over the dowry and physically assaulting her. She further alleged that Rahul forcibly aborted a pregnancy during their marriage. Initially, due to Rahul’s position, she faced difficulties in filing a report. However, the police have now registered the case under the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 (Sections 1 & 4) and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC 115(2), 296(b), 85) on 27th November 2025.

Allegations of Dowry and Abuse
Nirmala stated that her mother had provided household items according to her means, but Rahul started harassing her the very next day over insufficient dowry. He allegedly verbally abused her and physically assaulted her multiple times. Later, he also took her to Delhi in 2019 for UPSC preparation, where she faced continued abuse. On 31st July 2019, Rahul allegedly left Nirmala at her mother’s house and threatened her with divorce.

Nirmala has also accused her husband of maintaining relationships with other women and continuing harassment at various postings. In 2020, during a pregnancy, the abuse reportedly led to a miscarriage, treated at Bombay Hospital, Indore. Following this, Nirmala stayed at her parental home.

Pressure for Divorce
While living in government accommodation at Sardarpur, Nirmala claims Rahul continually pressured her for divorce. A family meeting held on 17th July 2022 failed to resolve the matter. Since then, she has been staying with her mother in Indore.

Initial Police Inaction and Legal Struggle
According to her lawyer, Praveen Kachole, they faced multiple hurdles due to Rahul’s political and administrative influence. At first, the Sardarpur police refused to register the complaint citing his senior official position.

Joint Collector Denies Allegations
Rahul Chauhan has denied all allegations, claiming that the divorce case has been ongoing for three and a half years at Nirmala’s initiative. He also called the forced abortion claims false, stating that he bore the ₹15 lakh medical expenses himself, and all hospital records can confirm the truth.