Rohit Chhillar held over wife’s death

A team of Delhi police arrested national-level kabaddi player Rohit Chhillar (26) from his Navy Nagar residence in south Mumbai on Friday afternoon in connection with the alleged suicide by his wife Lalita Dabas (27). The police took Chillar to Delhi for further investigations. Chhillar’s wife had accused him and her in-laws of dowry harassment in a suicide note and audio clip.

Chhillar, a navy sailor is stationed in Mumbai. The Delhi police alleged that he was on the run after his wife’s suicide. Chhillar, however, posted a message on his brother’s Facebook page, denying the allegations levelled against him and his family.

He insisted that he was not on the run and was waiting for the Navy’s permission to join the probe. Chhillar said he was in “love” with Lalita and had no idea why she was “sad” and took such an “extreme step”.

Before the arrest, the Delhi police had taken assistance from Mumbai's MRA Marg police to detain Chhillar. The Delhi police approached the Mumbai police after they learnt that Chhillar was residing at Navy Nagar, a residential colony for naval officers in South Mumbai. “A team from Delhi police reached the city on Friday morning. After conducting initial investigation, we visited the area where the said accused was said to be staying. We arrested him and presented him in court,” said Mr Sukhlal Varpe, Senior Police Insp-ector, MRA Marg police station. Chhillar, who was produced at the Ballard Pier Magistrate court and was granted transit remand till October 23.

“After being produced in court, we handed his custody over to the Delhi police,” said Mr Varpe. Police sources revealed that the Delhi police left the city with Chhillar soon after gaining his custody.

Chhillar’s wife Lalita hung herself in the couple's house that they shared with his parents in Delhi. She allegedly left a suicide note and a voice recording alleging harassment by her in-laws and also constant dowry demands by Chhillar and his parents. The pro-kabbadi player is part of the Bengaluru Bulls team. He married Lalita in March 2015. He is employed with the Indian Navy as a sailor and is posted in Mumbai.