Srinagar woman sues IAS officer alleging him to be father of her minor daughter

A court case in Srinagar involving a woman who sued an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer for allegedly being the father of her minor daughter is gaining momentum.

The woman claimed that the IAS officer, who converted to Islam and married her in May 2010, abandoned her and their child when he was transferred to a central deputation.

The Court of Second Additional Munsiff in Srinagar has directed the defendant officer, Sundhanshu Pandey, to appear in person for recording his statement and to file a written consent if the court contemplates passing an order for a DNA test to determine the parentage of the minor girl.

In another case filed in the High Court, wherein the woman demanded monthly maintenance in the same issue, Justice Sanjey Dhar had ordered last year for the parentage suit to be completed first in the lower court.

In the petition, it was alleged that in 2010, when Pandey was holding the position of Finance Secretary in the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, he developed a relationship with the woman in Srinagar.

In May 2010, Pandey converted to Islam, whereafter he entered into wedlock with the woman. The woman pleads that their daughter was born on 12 April 2011, however, a few months later, in October 2012, Pandey was transferred to New Delhi and he left the woman and minor in Srinagar.

As per the court documents, the woman also claimed to have visited the native place of the officer, in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow, where they came to know that Pandey was already a married man with two children and a practicing Hindu. The marriage between the woman and Pandey then dissolved by default.

However, Pandey refuted all the allegations and denied marrying the woman. The allegations made in the petition are just a figment of imagination and a device to scandalize his reputation and image, he responded in the court.