Following the tragic death of Vipanchika Maniyan, her maternal aunt has approached the Kerala High Court seeking a direction to the Central Government to diplomatically engage with the authorized institutions of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a fair, transparent, and comprehensive investigation.
"We urge the Central Government to initiate diplomatic communication with UAE authorities so the truth can be revealed and the body returned to India," the petition states.
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The petitioner has alleged that the deceased was constantly subjected to mental harassment, emotional abuse, and threats by her husband and his family.
Vipanchika had reportedly made multiple distress calls to her mother, informing her that her gold had been taken away and she was facing unbearable cruelty.
"She had sent photographs of physical injuries and letters detailing the abuse by her husband and in-laws, which are now submitted as exhibits with the petition," the plea says.
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After the incident, the family registered an FIR at Kundara Police Station, naming her husband, father-in-law, and sister-in-law as accused.
"Till now, we have not received any postmortem report, medical data, or investigation details from the UAE authorities," the petitioner informed the court.
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The family fears that key evidence related to her mysterious death could be tampered with or destroyed. Hence, the writ petition seeks to ensure a fair investigation, proper post-mortem examination, and all necessary medico-legal procedures.
"We want to ensure the family receives timely updates at every stage and the mortal remains are brought back to India without delay," said the petitioner.
Case No: WP(C) No. 26141 of 2025
Case Title: Sheela S. v. Union of India and Ors.
The petition is moved by Advocates A.V. Indira, Anandhu Satheesh and Sreedevi S.