THANE: All's fair in love, or so thought Nilofer, who not only romanced her old boyfriend as her husband worked in the UAE, but even fabricated his signature on a

divorce

document and married her sweetheart.

Nilofer, a Mumbra resident who has a nine-year-old son, is now on the run and is seeking anticipatory bail following a complaint of cheating by her husband Yusuf Sherif Mastan.

"The 31-year-old

made up those signatures on the divorce documents, married her boyfriend and decamped with Mastan's money. Mastan is employed in the UAE as a mechanic since 2007 and he would diligently send money to her. He had saved up enough to buy a small place in Mumbra, where Nilofer stayed with her son. During his long absences, she reconnected with her old boyfriend and would splurge on him," said S B Shinde, the investigation officer of Mumbra police station. On Nilofer's insistence, they even sold that house and Mastan acquired another house in her name in the same area for Rs 23 lakh, he added.

"Once when he was in India, he spotted a change in his wife's behavior: she would always be on phone with a man. Upon enquiry, she brushed him aside and said she was talking to her friend," said Shinde.

Matters came to a head when Mastan returned home in 2017 and Nilofer refused to meet him. Nor would she allow him access to their house. "With no options to stay, he shifted to a lodge at Shilphata and after making some discreet enquiries, he learnt that the house had been sold off for Rs 32 lakh and the money handed over to his wife," said the police officer.

A lawyer sought to mediate, and reportedly obtained his signature on stamp paper, saying it was merely a document stating they would stay separately for a brief period to give time for the marriage to work.

He flew back to Dubai and when he returned home early this year, he was shown divorce papers bearing his signature and dated sometime in April 2017, when he was working abroad. "It is a clear case of cheating and impersonation as he was not in India on the date on which the divorce papers are signed. We have verified his passport documents, visa papers, etc and it is clear he landed in India only after that date. Charges of cheating, forgery and marrying again while spouse is alive have been filed," said the police officer. Nilofer faces up to seven years in jail, if convicted.

Realising that she could be arrested, Nilofer filed for anticipatory bail in the Thane sessions court, which rejected her plea. She has now moved Bombay high court, which posted the matter for hearing in June.