‘Pension fraud': Doc seeks relief, says had wed ex-DCM

Time of India

06-05-2025

Mumbai: Seeking anticipatory bail, cardiologist Dr Lekha Pathak, booked for alleged offences of cheating and forgery by obtaining the pension of the late Ramrao Adik as his "widow", said that she was married to the former deputy CM.In her plea, Dr Pathak (79) said she married Adik as per vedic rites in Delhi after he separated from his first wife and they had stayed together at their Bandra home since 1995. "...The complainant, instead of adopting civil proceedings for entitlement of the pension, has intentionally, deliberately, and with ulterior motives and intention, initiated criminal proceedings only with the sole intention to exert pressure upon the applicant... and to grab not only the pension amount to which she is legally entitled but also her other properties," the plea said.The court directed the prosecution to submit its reply, until which no coercive action can be taken against Dr Pathak. The matter was adjourned to June 12.Adik was a well-known lawyer who served as an MLC for 18 years and as deputy CM briefly in 1984. Police lodged the FIR on March 1 following an order by a magistrate's court on Feb 14 based on a private complaint by Adik's son, Prithviraj Adik (73). Prithviraj alleged that after Adik's death in 2007 at the age of 78, Dr Pathak began receiving his pension as his "widow". He said while Adik and Dr Pathak had been in a live-in relationship since 1995, the two never legally married. Prithviraj, also a lawyer, said his mother, Shobha Adik, should have received the pension.However, Dr Pathak's plea said in a joint affidavit sworn before a notary public on Aug 31, 2005, Adik and she had declared their marriage under Hindu Marriage Act for the purpose of passport issuance. The affidavit stated their cohabitation as a married couple and Dr Pathak's adoption of the name Dr Lekha Adik Pathak following the marriage. A photo of the two was included with the affidavit. The plea said Adik divorced his first wife through a divorce deed in 1989. She said she received the pension—which went up from Rs 7,250 in 2008 to Rs 40,000—soon after Adik's death."...Even in the application made to Sukhada Cooperative Housing Society Ltd (Worli), her late husband nominated her as a nominee in respect of the flat," the plea said. It also pointed out photos showing Dr Pathak with Adik at various official functions with the then governor and PM.The plea also referred to consent terms executed with respect to Adik's will. It said on Oct 21, 2008, the consent terms distributed the properties and bank savings among Dr Pathak, the former wife, and the children.