Outsider in his own home Septuagenarian accuses elder son of taking forcible possession of his room by Akash Ghai and Archit Watts Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 23Seventy-four-year-old Sadhu Singh has been running from pillar to post to get back the possession of his room in his own house at Sector 46. The senior citizen alleged that his elder son Ashok Kumar has taken forcible possession of his room last week, thereby turning him out of his own house.
Alleging that the local police is not helping him out in the case, the septuagenarian maintained that he was left with no choice but to sleep in the verandah or drawing room of the ground floor with his other son.
No respite for elderly
The Chandigarh police has not invoked the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007, ever since it has been enacted. The police is dealing with such cases under the older laws, it has failed to provide any respite to elderly citizens facing domestic problems, sources in the police revealed.
“Look at my tragedy, I have no place in my own house. All my belongings are lying in the room. Despite the fact that the property is in my name, I can do nothing and nobody is helping me to get justice”, rued Sadhu Singh, who retired as assistant secretary from BBMB.
Sadhu was staying separately in a room on the first floor of his house. In the left portion, his elder son stays with his family, while on the other floors (ground and top), his other two sons live along with their families.
Narrating his tale of woes, he alleged, “On October 14, Ashok bolted the door of my room in my absence and took forcible possession of it. He also hit me and threatened to end my life.”
The matter was brought to the notice of police but the old man alleged that it (the police) was not taking adequate action.
“On my complaint, the police arrested Ashok under Section 107/151 of the CrPC but did not register a case of trespass. Despite my repeated complaints, the police is not taking sufficient action to help me to get my room back”, alleged Sadhu Singh.
Sadhu Singh
On his part, Ashok Kumar, too, had made a complaint to the police against his father alleging that he (Sadhu Singh) had misbehaved with his wife and asked her to have a ‘physical relation’ with him. Ashok said, “I am the sufferer. My father has bribed the cops who are harassing me. My brothers are supporting him as he has given them a share from his property. All this is being done to spoil the forthcoming marriage of my son in November.”
The police said they had earlier verified and learnt that Ashok Kumar and his wife had levelled baseless allegations against Sadhu Singh.
This is not the first time that such a dispute has arisen between the father and the son and the matter has been reported to the police several times before. Ashok and his wife had been disowned by Sadhu Singh in 1992 due to their quarrelsome temperament. “But after the insistence of the ‘mohallawalas’ I allowed them to stay in my house and am now repenting”, said Sadhu Singh.
The SHO of Sector 34 Police Station Sudarshan Thakur said, “We are doing all that the police can do in such case. How can we register a trespass case when Ashok has already been staying in the house?” A senior police officer said, “This is a civil matter and the best the police can do is to take preventive action against the accused. The matter comes under the purview of the court, which has the powers to solve it under the specific Act.”

Chandigarh Tribune October 24, 2008