Former MP Vinayak Raut booked in marital cruelty case filed by daughter-in-law

The Kapurbawdi police in Thane have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against former Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Vinayak Raut, his wife Shamal, son Gitesh Raut, and four others following a complaint by his daughter-in-law, Girija Raut. The FIR alleges deception in marriage, physical and mental cruelty, and forced participation in occult rituals.

According to the complaint, Girija Raut, 38, married Gitesh Raut on December 3, 2017. She alleges that before the marriage, the Raut family falsely claimed that Gitesh owned multiple properties, including a flat in a posh building in Vakola and a bungalow, and assured her that the couple would live there after the wedding. Instead, she states, she was taken to a slum residence in Vakola immediately after the marriage. When her parents questioned the family about the alleged deception, they were allegedly abused and threatened.

Girija further alleges that she was forced to quit her job and work in her husband's transport business without any financial independence. She claims they travelled together across India and abroad, including Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Norway, Dubai, Kenya, and Thailand, but that she was repeatedly assaulted, humiliated, and subjected to mental harassment.

The FIR also states that between 2018 and 2022, her husband and in-laws took her to self-styled godmen in Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri, where she was allegedly forced to participate in occult rituals, including consuming cow urine and undergoing ceremonies involving lemons and scissors.

Based on her complaint, police have registered a case against the named individuals, including those alleged to have conducted the rituals. The investigation is ongoing.

Denying the allegations, Vinayak Raut stated that the complaint is a result of an ongoing divorce dispute. He claimed that during mediation, Girija demanded Rs 5 crore, a 3-BHK flat, an automatic car, and Rs 2 lakh in monthly maintenance, which the family refused. “The allegations made against my family are completely false. We will respond before the court,” Raut said, adding that the next hearing in the matrimonial case is scheduled for July 23.

Raut also questioned the timing of the FIR, noting that the alleged incidents date back to 2018–2022 but were only reported this year. He claimed that Girija has been living separately from his son for the past three years and later increased her settlement demand to Rs 12.60 crore, a 3-BHK flat, and Rs 5 lakh in monthly maintenance.

Girija denied seeking money from the family. “My only expectation was to have a happy married life with my husband and to live peacefully with the family. Instead, I was subjected to harassment and humiliation,” she said.

Police have not commented on the allegations, which remain under investigation.