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45 days: Can this life be saved?: The Pioneer
Hyderabad, Aug 23: The battle of a young Indian mother to force her estranged husband to return from the United States so that he can donate bone marrow to save the life of their five-month-old baby has entered a new phase - a court in Hyderabad has now issued a non bailable warrant against him.
Hyderabad, Aug 23: The battle of a young Indian mother to force her estranged husband to return from the United States so that he can donate bone marrow to save the life of their five-month-old baby has entered a new phase - a court in Hyderabad has now issued a non bailable warrant against him.
The warrant followed a criminal complaint filed by the woman, Sanyogita Reddy, against her California based husband D Narayan Reddy also known as Navin.
Doctors in India have given their daughter Shreya just 45 days time if a bone marrow transplant is not done immediately.
Another non-bailable warrant has been issued by 22nd Metropolitan Magistrate K. Shailaja against Navin's mother Tara Reddy and his uncle Indrakiran Reddy, a former Superintendent of Police. This warrant has been issued on a charge sheet filed by the Begumpet women's police station against the duo. The two are facing charges under section 498-A of Indian Penal Code for harassment, and have been charged with subjecting a married woman to cruelty. If convicted the accused are liable to get a sentence of imprisonment up to three years, and a fine.
While the first two accused, Navin and his mother Tara Reddy, are now somewhere in the US, his uncle is in Hyderabad.
Sanyogita had registered a complaint of harassment against Navin and his family members in May last year. This was because after the birth of a daughter, Navin had refused to accept her during one of his visits to Hyderabad in 2002. "The ball is now in the court of the police and they will have to take necessary steps to get the warrants executed and bring both Navin and his mother back to India," said Sanyogita's lawyer C Gyanendra Reddy. But Sanyogita is so determined that she is prepared to even bear all the expenses of sending a police official to the US with the necessary papers to bring her husband back. "I am ready to withdraw the case and forget everything if he comes and saves the life of my daughter," she said.
Sanyogita has also sought the help of the US authorities. She has spoken to the Milpitas (California) police chief Charles Lawson and Captain Tom Mishisaka.
"They told me that they can send Navin back only if an Indian court gives direction to their jurisdiction (in US) and send an officer in authority with the necessary papers," she said. Twenty-six-year-old Sanyogita Reddy, a computer software engineer, had married US Green card holder Navin, 37, in June 2002 after a brief romance over the telephone.
The two had come in contact when Navin had approached her to develop a software package for his chain of restaurants in California. Sanyogita said Navin had introduced himself as the owner of the Sarovar Indian Cuisine chain. While this legal battle goes on, the condition of the frail girl keeps worsening. Doctors here have given her just 45 days time. "She is turning blue from time to time and gasps for air. It is really scaring me," she said. The latest attempt by friends and well-wishers of the couple to bring about a rapprochement between the two for the sake of the little girl has failed. Sanyogita said even though she has given in writing that she would withdraw her case if her husband comes back and gives bone marrow, there is no trace of him. "Navin disappeared from his place in Milpitas, said Sanyogita. The friends who were mediating for an agreement are not able to establish any contact with him now, she said.
In case Navin returns home, Sanyogita is planning to take him and the baby to a specialised bone marrow transplant centre for children in Italy because the doctors here have given a zero chance for her survival, she said. It would cost her Rs 25 to 30 lakh but she is ready to go any length to save the baby. "She is my only hope in life," said Sanyogita.
She said only the father can save the life of baby Shreya as his A negative blood group matches with her's. "Unfortunately my blood group is different," she said.
Sanyogita, however, is also receiving donation offers from the general public. One such offer came from one Ravi Burman of Kolkata. Sanyogita has responded positively to the offer and is now seeking more information on the Good Samaritan. "I am grateful to him for this offer, "she said. Meanwhile, the local police said that it was because of Sanyogita that Navin managed to flee in June this year to the US. ''We wanted to arrest him but it was Sanyogita who prevented us from doing so saying there was still a chance of reaching a compromise,'' said Pandu Naik, the police inspector who is dealing with the case.
Some time after Navin's departure his widowed mother Tara Reddy also left for the US. Navin's uncle Indrakiran Reddy is included among the accused because he had also intervened to prevent his nephew's arrest saying it was a family matter and that it will be settled within the family, the inspector said.
Sanyogita had registered a complaint of harassment against Navin and his family members in May last year. This was because after the birth of a daughter, Navin had refused to accept her during one of his visits to Hyderabad in 2002. "The ball is now in the court of the police and they will have to take necessary steps to get the warrants executed and bring both Navin and his mother back to India," said Sanyogita's lawyer C Gyanendra Reddy. But Sanyogita is so determined that she is prepared to even bear all the expenses of sending a police official to the US with the necessary papers to bring her husband back. "I am ready to withdraw the case and forget everything if he comes and saves the life of my daughter," she said.
Sanyogita has also sought the help of the US authorities. She has spoken to the Milpitas (California) police chief Charles Lawson and Captain Tom Mishisaka.
"They told me that they can send Navin back only if an Indian court gives direction to their jurisdiction (in US) and send an officer in authority with the necessary papers," she said. Twenty-six-year-old Sanyogita Reddy, a computer software engineer, had married US Green card holder Navin, 37, in June 2002 after a brief romance over the telephone.
The two had come in contact when Navin had approached her to develop a software package for his chain of restaurants in California. Sanyogita said Navin had introduced himself as the owner of the Sarovar Indian Cuisine chain. While this legal battle goes on, the condition of the frail girl keeps worsening. Doctors here have given her just 45 days time. "She is turning blue from time to time and gasps for air. It is really scaring me," she said. The latest attempt by friends and well-wishers of the couple to bring about a rapprochement between the two for the sake of the little girl has failed. Sanyogita said even though she has given in writing that she would withdraw her case if her husband comes back and gives bone marrow, there is no trace of him. "Navin disappeared from his place in Milpitas, said Sanyogita. The friends who were mediating for an agreement are not able to establish any contact with him now, she said.
In case Navin returns home, Sanyogita is planning to take him and the baby to a specialised bone marrow transplant centre for children in Italy because the doctors here have given a zero chance for her survival, she said. It would cost her Rs 25 to 30 lakh but she is ready to go any length to save the baby. "She is my only hope in life," said Sanyogita.
She said only the father can save the life of baby Shreya as his A negative blood group matches with her's. "Unfortunately my blood group is different," she said.
Sanyogita, however, is also receiving donation offers from the general public. One such offer came from one Ravi Burman of Kolkata. Sanyogita has responded positively to the offer and is now seeking more information on the Good Samaritan. "I am grateful to him for this offer, "she said. Meanwhile, the local police said that it was because of Sanyogita that Navin managed to flee in June this year to the US. ''We wanted to arrest him but it was Sanyogita who prevented us from doing so saying there was still a chance of reaching a compromise,'' said Pandu Naik, the police inspector who is dealing with the case.
Some time after Navin's departure his widowed mother Tara Reddy also left for the US. Navin's uncle Indrakiran Reddy is included among the accused because he had also intervened to prevent his nephew's arrest saying it was a family matter and that it will be settled within the family, the inspector said.