Throughout the year, I worked hard and couldn’t muster the courage to spend anything, sending all the money back to my mother-in-law’s town so I could save. The day I announced the purchase of the house, I drove hundreds of kilometres back to my hometown and asked for their money back, but was stunned by my mother-in-law’s answer.
In Noida, soon after the wedding, Ananya decided to tighten her belt. Her husband Rohan worked on a monthly salary, while Ananya spent very little, not daring to buy anything for herself or her young child. She sent all her savings to her mother-in-law – Savitri Devi – in Barsana village (Mathura, Uttar Pradesh), thinking: “Mother-in-law keep it with me, later when I have enough money, I will buy a small apartment in the city, to avoid the hassles of a rented house.” ”

For many years, Ananya was so economical that she did not dare to buy a single good clothes, just hoped that one day she would be able to openly buy a small house in Noida with that money.

That day, after so much waiting, she happily said to her husband:

“I have a lot of money to buy a house. Tomorrow, let’s go back to my town and ask my mother to give me money to bail out. ”

The couple enthusiastically took the bus and reached Mathura, more than a hundred kilometres away. On the way, Ananya imagined herself holding a fat savings account, her heart filled with joy. However, as soon as she could say something as she sat at the coffee table in the countryside house, she was stunned by her mother-in-law’s cold answer:

“What money? When did I have these for you? There’s never been any money in this house!”

Ananya is shocked, she thought she had heard it wrong. But Mrs. Savitri said firmly, her voice still harsh as if… She wants to deny all responsibility.

There was a sudden silence in the room. Ananya shuddered when she saw the messages, how many times she had sent money directly on her return to the village, how many times she had transferred money to her account without keeping any papers. Years of savings were, in an instant, turned into nothingness.

Rohan stood there, his eyes red with tears and he was looking at his mother. But Ananya was stunned the next moment: her sister-in-law – Riya – walked out of the room in a gleaming lehenga, a brand new designer bag, shiny leather shoes on her feet and a new phone in her hand.

At that moment, Ananya understood that she had worked so hard to send her home all these years… Where did that money go?

Ananya didn’t cry the night she returned to Noida. He spread all his bank messages, screenshots of UPI transfers and spending notes on a small round table. On the top of the page, he wrote in blue ink: “Justice Laser.” ”

The next morning, Ananya went to the bank to collect a five-year-old statement; The SMS messages that he had hoped to have lost were still stored in his carrier’s mailbox. He downloaded his Google Pay/PhonePe transaction history and wrote a note on every transaction with “Savitri Devi – Barsana Transfer”: “Mom was sent for safety, saving for the house.” ”

She went to the Holy Gate market and stopped near Garg Jewellers, where Rhea had shown off her jadau lehenga on Instagram. The receipt clearly read: “Payer: S. Devi. Amount: 2.45 lakh. The shopkeeper remembered well: “He said he bought it for his daughter. Ananya asked for a copy of the receipt, which had her signature on it and confirmed that she “has seen the original receipt.” ”

That evening, he knocked on the door of a small law office in Sector 18. Advocate Meera Kapoor listened to Ananya’s story and then devised a three-pronged plan:

a legal notice to Mrs. Savitri and Rhea, detailing every transaction; Demand for refund of money within 15 days.

A preliminary criminal complaint for embezzlement/change of purpose (suggesting provision equivalent to IPC Section 406/420) at Mahila Police Station.

A civil suit for money, seeking an interim injunction to “maintain the status quo” so that the property cannot be disposed of until the trial is over.

“I am not asking for money, I am asking for my rights. ”

The legal notice was sent by Barsana registered post. Mrs. Savitri replied in a shrill voice:

“What money? You have willingly given to my family, don’t ask for money!”

Ananya replied briefly: “I am keeping it to buy a house, not as stridhan, and certainly not as a gift.” Please reply in writing. ”

The same night, Rhea posted a story of her new phone titled: “Mom knows best!” ”

Three days later, her husband’s family dragged all the relatives over the phone to criticise Ananya. She remained silent. Meera sent the second notice, which attached the statement, the gold shop receipt, a photograph of the contents of the transfer and a recording of the conversation she had had at home the day before (in which Savitri had suddenly said, “There has never been money in this house!”).
Relatives forced her to hold a panchayat in the courtyard itself. In front of the village head, Mrs. Savitri was still calm:
“The daughter-in-law has voluntarily transferred the money, consider it a dowry for Riya.” ”

Ananya placed a pile of papers on the mat:
“Here’s my remittance note: ‘Mom, keep it so I can buy a house in Noida. Here’s the date, here’s the content… And here’s the gold bill that was paid immediately after. If it was ‘given’, why did I write the purpose every time?”

Rohan, who had been silent from the start, suddenly looked up:
“Mom… This money is the money of my wife’s sweat. I’ve seen him go naked. I beg you… Please return it. ”

The atmosphere was tense. Mrs. Savitri said angrily:
“You are an ungrateful daughter!”

The meeting ended in an uproar. But the same evening, Ananya’s complaint was accepted, as well as an invitation to mediation.

The web of truth

Meera suggested one last step: “Record the acknowledgment.
Anya calls Savitri and says she will send the last 50 thousand to “complete the apartment”. She agreed to meet alone in the backyard and whispered:
“Rhea’s wedding and clothes cost money—I spent my money on Rhea’s wedding and clothes. What else do you want?”
The small voice recorder in Ananya’s dupatta recorded it.

On the next workday, Meera submitted a written recording (time, place, and witnesses, sitting in the backyard, along with her neighbour Sunita aunt). Also, she filed a temporary restraining order against the transfer of a plot of land in the name of Savitri in Mathura tehsil, as there were “signs of embezzlement.” ”

The court issued a temporary restraining order: “The property will remain as it is until the trial.”

Fake moves… And flipped

A week later, Savitri submitted a “donation letter” with a notarized stamp, which stated that Ananya had voluntarily given the money to Rhea. Mira simply smiled:

“This stamp… But it’s the wrong code. ”

He had already submitted the application for confirmation of the notary book as per the stamp code. Result: No record existed for that date. The notarized paper was fake. Moreover, the signature of “Ananya” on the fake paper was inverted, completely different from the signature of the bank.

The judge swung his pen and looked straight at Savitri:

“You got this money to keep to buy a house, then you used it for something else, and submitted documents that weren’t properly registered. The court found signs of embezzlement and fraud. ”

Interim decision and final round of mediation

The court issued an interim order:

Savitri had to repay 60% of the amount within 30 days;

The main jewellery set purchased for Rhea is confiscated as surety;

All transactions on Mathura land are postponed until a final decision;

Both parties enter into the final mandatory mediation at the District Mediation Centre.

In the mediation room, Rhea breaks down in tears—not for the first time, not because of the brand new:

“Me… Didn’t know that this is sister-in-law’s money to keep safe. I thought you gave it to me. ”

Ananya sighs:

“I don’t want anybody’s apology. I need my money to build a nice house. ”

Rohan puts the red book of rented rooms (which is now in his name) in Noida on the table, and signs a commitment to pay in advance if his mother’s side doesn’t come by the deadline:

“I’ll take my share. Provided my wife gets her share back. ”

Mrs. Savitri sits motionless. For the first time, the sharpness disappears from their old eyes. He knew the game was over.

A new door opened.

On the 29th day, the first 60% was transferred directly to Ananya’s account by the court’s order. Meera filed a penalty of delayed payment for the rest of the amount and requested the court to fix a 6-month payment plan, including the condition: if they violated, the property would be confiscated.

Ananya walked out of the court, looking at the grey sky. She wasn’t happy, she was just relieved. The “book of judgment” in his hand closed, but not the last part of the page. Mira said softly:

“I have revealed the truth. The rest is now to take care of the boundary so that they don’t cross it again. ”

That evening, Ananya and Rohan were standing on the balcony of their rented room looking at the city lights.

“We will buy a small house,” Rohan said. “With clean money, with respect. ”

Anya nodded. Justice did not bring back the years of starvation for him, but gave him the right to stand up straight in life – and a lifelong lesson for those who see faith as an unfathomable treasure.