Lawfully Yours: By Retd Justice K Chandru

CHENNAI: One can take trained mediators’ help to arrive at a compromise

I have an abusive brother-in-law who behaves very violently with my mother and me ever since my elder sister who was married to him passed away a couple of years ago. Since there was no one else we could look forward to, we were splurging our money on him, pledging gold and land and even borrowing, whenever he makes a demand citing business requirements. Now we learn he is spending all of it on gambling and other personal comforts. He is addicted to drugs and fights and threatens us for very silly reasons. Our safety is at risk. If we leave him, we’ll be left penniless. What can we do?

-- Name withheld on request

If your brother-in-law is the breadwinner and your survival depends upon his support then it is a catch-22 situation. No property of your family can be sold by him without your signing papers. But if you refuse, he may cut the support he extends. There are now many trained mediators who can advise and help arrive at a compromise between contending parties. Without court intervention, you may try for a compromise. If you want to fight in court, you better look for a job to take care of your mother and yourself and then initiate court action.

Good cops may help solve issues without registering case

I’m a 25-year-old working woman who is yet to be mentally prepared for leading a marital life. My stepmother is putting pressure through family circles to get my consent for marrying me off to a wayward youth in her family. For not giving my consent, I’m being accused of having ‘affairs’. My father may not be believing this, but he too is helpless. I don’t want to spoil his peace of mind. Is there a way out other than filing a police case that could shatter our family? If I request, will the police just counsel and warn my stepmother without registering a case?

-- KV Suganya, Medavakkam

It depends on the police officer in charge of the station. There are some good inspectors who may call the other side and counsel them if you don’t want a case to be registered. If nothing works, you may seek partition of the properties in court and till such time stop the alienation of the properties.