Navy wife swapping scandal: Complainant arrested for fraud

The woman, whose complaint of wife swapping rocked the naval base in Kochi in April, was on Saturday arrested by Delhi police for allegedly committing a forgery by procuring a credit card in the name of her estranged husband.

Police arrested Sujata Sahoo from her residence in South Delhi under sections 420 (cheating), 468 and 471 (forgery) and Emblem and Name (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, a Delhi police spokesman said.

Kamini Jaiswal, counsel for Sahoo in the wife swapping case, has denied the charges and said it was an attempt to malign her client.

She accused the Delhi police of torturing Sahoo.

Jaiswal said that her client was dragged from her house and beaten.

"As a result of this, she has received injuries and the police have not been ensuring a proper medical check-up," Jaiswal alleged.

She said that her client had been informing her about the repeated threats received by her and warnings about dire consequences if she did not withdraw her complaint, in which she has named senior naval officials.

According to Delhi police, Sahoo was arrested from Jia Sarai after State Bank of India's IIT branch complained that she was trying to procure a credit card in the name of her estranged husband, Ravi Kant, using his forged PAN card and employment letter of the Indian Navy.

The bank, according to Delhi police, has videographed everything pertaining to the alleged procurement of the credit card.

Defence Minister A K Antony had promised to take strong action if anybody was found guilty in the alleged wife swapping case.

Sahoo had also filed a case of dowry harassment under Section 489A against her husband and the case has been transferred to Kochi.