Diary tells Anju Ilyasi's story of anger, frustration

Diary tells Anju Ilyasi's story of anger, frustration
SMEETA MISHRA PANDEY

NEW DELHI, MARCH 29: Safe inside a locker in the district policeheadquarters in east Delhi, lies Anju Ilyasi's story: What marriage to theman she loved meant to her, her ecstasy on giving birth to a beautifuldaughter, her frustration on being neglected by Suhaib Ilyasi and not beingable to pursue a career, her apprehensions about the other women in herhusband's life and finally, the last words capturing the final moments ofdesperation.

Three diaries tell her life story between 1993 and 1999 in detail. While oneof them was recovered from the Ilyasi's IFS apartment home, sister RashmiSingh brought the other two from Canada where Anju had spent a considerableamount of time.

Both during her stay abroad and while staying with her husband here, Anjupoured her heart out into the pages of her diary, both in Hindi and English.She wrote: ``I love Suhaib so much but he does not care for me... When Ifirst met him, he was a completely different person... now he has changed.He does not feel for me any more. He does not love me...'' On another page,she writes: ``Suhaib wants me to be like Umer's wife. But how can I be likeher?''

Several entries in the diaries are addressed to Suhaib. ``It seems shepenned down whatever she wanted to tell her husband, but failed tocommunicate to him,'' said sources close to Anju. ``In fact, she did nothave any friends. The only people she confided in are her sisters.''Some entries are highly emotional describing her deep love for Suhaib whileothers reflect her anger and helplessness at the way things were turning outin her life.

At several places, she had accused Suhaib of not giving her money to meether personal expenses while he apparently spent a lot of money on his owntrips abroad.

She has mentioned instances when her sister Rashmi bought household itemsfor her as her husband refused to shell out money. In fact, the interiorsand fittings at their IFS flat were apparently financed by Rashmi.

In her diary, Anju blames Suhaib for harassing and torturing her every timeshe committed a mistake at home, when the food was not ready when he camehome and when she questioned him when he came home late. ``He is alwayslooking for an excuse to get angry on me,'' she once wrote.

There are instances where an angry Anju has unabashedly abused Suhaib. Onesuch entry reads: ``Kamina....rakshas...uska sapna hai ki woh mujhenaukrani banake rakhe. Mein aise nahin hone dungee.'' (He thinks he cankeep me like a servant in his house. I will not let it happen.)

At places, the anger gives way to frustration. There are several instanceswhere she refers to Suhaib's business partner Mrs Nayyar and her daughter.``I don't like Mrs Nayyar picking up my husband in the morning and droppinghim home after work,'' she wrote. ``He spends a lot of time at her housetoo.''

Investigating officers are counting on Anju Ilyasi's version in the diary totell her story in the courtroom. A senior police officer said, ``Witnessesmay give contradicting statements and fight amongst themselves. But theycannot ever undo what Anju has written in her diaries. And, that is ourtrump card for the complicated legal battle that lies ahead.''