NEW DELHI, Sept 21 (TrustLaw) - An Indian tax officer has been arrested on charges related to accusations from his wife that he tried to blackmail her into providing dowry by threatening to publicise videos of them having sexual intercourse, the Times of India reported on Friday.
The woman, also a tax officer, told police that her husband had filmed their sexual acts secretly, and threatened her that he would leak the videos if she did not pay him 1 million rupees ($18,400) and buy him a car, washing machine and other appliances.
In India, the custom of providing wedding dowries -- such as jewellery or money -- was outlawed more than five decades ago, but it is still widely practiced, with the groom's family demanding more money or "gifts" after marriage, leading to mental and physical harassment that can drive brides to suicide.
One bride was murdered every hour over dowry demands in 2010, says the National Crime Records Bureau. Some are "stove burnings" where in-laws pour kerosene, the commonly-used cooking fuel of poorer homes, over women and set them alight, making it appear accidental.
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