Vadodara: A retired 1987-batch Gujarat-cadre IPS officer, Pravin B Gondia, his son and three relatives have been booked by Atladara police in Vadodara following a complaint filed by his daughter-in-law, who has alleged years of dowry harassment, domestic abuse, intimidation, assault and repeated demands for money and property.
The complainant, Nikita Gondia, has named her husband Ashish Gondia, father-in-law Pravin Gondia, mother-in-law Usha Gondia, and relatives Sheetal Vahoniya and Prakash Vahoniya in the FIR. The allegations relate to events spanning several years since her marriage to Ashish in November 2016.
Police have registered the case and are investigating the allegations. The claims made in the complaint have not been established in court.
Who Is Pravin B Gondia?
Pravin B. Gondia is a retired Indian Police Service officer of the 1987 batch belonging to the Gujarat cadre. He was a direct-recruit IPS officer who entered the service through the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
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Official IPS records list Gondia as an IPS/RR officer of the 1987 batch, with M.A. in History as his educational qualification. His date of appointment to the IPS cadre is recorded as August 24, 1987, and his home state/domicile is listed as Gujarat, with Dahod mentioned in the Gujarat civil list.
He rose to the rank of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) during his career and served in several senior responsibilities within Gujarat Police.
The official IPS civil list records him as ADGP, Prevention of Atrocities on SC/ST and Weaker Sections, Gandhinagar, with additional charge as ADGP, State Human Rights Commission, Gandhinagar, in 2016.
By 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs’ IPS Civil List recorded Gondia as ADGP, Human Rights Commission, Gandhinagar, at Level 15.
Nearly Four Decades in IPS
Gondia’s career in the IPS spanned close to four decades. He joined the service in August 1987 and eventually reached the ADGP rank.
His career included assignments involving prevention of atrocities against Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and weaker sections, as well as responsibilities associated with the Gujarat State Human Rights Commission.
The official records also show that he was a direct-recruit officer, identified with IPS ID 19871090 in government records.
Gondia retired from the IPS in February 2020. A contemporary report listing IPS officers retiring that month identified Pravin B. Gondia among the officers due to superannuate.
What Is the Case Against Pravin Gondia and His Family?
The case stems from a complaint filed by Nikita Gondia, a resident of Atladara in Vadodara.
According to the complaint, Nikita married Ashish Gondia in November 2016, and the marriage was registered in Vadodara. She alleged that soon after the marriage, she began facing taunts and demands connected with dowry.
She further alleged that her in-laws did not allow her and Ashish to have a separate bedroom and that she was kept away from her husband.
Nikita also claimed that she learned after the marriage that her father-in-law had two wives and that Ashish was born to his first wife, Usha.
Allegations of Threats, Assault and Property Demands
According to Nikita’s complaint, Ashish repeatedly threatened to marry another woman and allegedly assaulted her when she objected.
She also alleged that the jewellery and cash brought from her parental family were retained by the accused, while she continued to face taunts over what was allegedly considered inadequate dowry.
The complaint further states that on the first day of the marriage, Ashish allegedly told Nikita that his father was an ADGP in Gujarat Police and that the family had not demanded dowry because they did not want to lose their standing in society.
Nikita alleged that she was subsequently told to ask her father to provide a bungalow or flat in Ahmedabad if she wanted a separate bedroom.
These are allegations contained in the complaint and are subject to investigation.
Allegations Relating to Food and Domestic Life
Nikita also alleged that she was forced to serve non-vegetarian food and was pressured to eat it.
She claimed that the domestic situation deteriorated further and that Ashish allegedly threw her out of their Ahmedabad residence in 2017, following which she returned to her father’s home.
In 2018, she alleged that Ashish forced her to leave her job with the Knowledge Consortium of Gujarat.
Later that year, she became pregnant. According to her complaint, the accused were allegedly unhappy about the pregnancy and asked her to remain at her parental home.
She subsequently gave birth to a daughter in 2019.
Allegations Concerning Her Pregnancies
Nikita alleged that the harassment did not stop after the birth of her daughter.
According to the complaint, when she became pregnant again in 2020, the accused allegedly pressured her to terminate the pregnancy. She said she refused and later gave birth to a son in October 2020.
She has further alleged that in 2025, her husband took her to a hospital in Ahmedabad, where her pregnancy was terminated.
The complaint also contains an allegation that she was assaulted last year, following which she sought assistance through the 181 Abhayam helpline, a women’s assistance service in Gujarat.
Divorce Proceedings and Legal Action
The marital dispute escalated further this year, according to the complaint.
Nikita alleged that Ashish sought a divorce in February 2026, following which she returned to her father’s home.
She subsequently approached the courts, filing a maintenance case and an application related to domestic violence in April 2026.
The latest FIR registered by Atladara police names her husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law and two other relatives.
Police have begun investigating the allegations and the circumstances surrounding the complaint.
Pravin B Gondia’s Career in Gujarat Police
Pravin Gondia’s name appears in government IPS records dating back several decades.
The Gujarat IPS civil list identifies him as a 1987-batch IPS/RR officer, with his date of appointment to the IPS cadre recorded as August 24, 1987. The same record lists his educational qualification as M.A. (History) and his domicile as Gujarat-Dahod.
During his senior career, Gondia served as ADGP for Prevention of Atrocities on SC/ST and Weaker Sections in Gandhinagar. He was also given additional responsibility as ADGP, State Human Rights Commission, Gandhinagar.
The 2020 IPS Civil List subsequently recorded him as ADGP, Human Rights Commission, Gandhinagar, at Level 15.
After nearly 33 years in the IPS, Gondia retired from service in February 2020.
Investigation Underway
The case has brought the personal allegations against a former senior police officer into focus, but the charges remain allegations at this stage.
The Atladara police have registered the offence based on Nikita Gondia’s complaint and are investigating the matter. The investigation will determine the factual circumstances surrounding the allegations made against Pravin Gondia, Ashish Gondia and the other accused.
No allegation in the complaint should be treated as a finding of guilt unless established through the legal process.
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